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Children of Destiny 


FLETCHER CHENAULT 

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F. TENNYSON NEELY 


114 Fifth Avenue 
NEW YORK 


96 Queen Street 
LONDON 


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THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 
T-vn Cnpies Received 

WAY, 16 1902 

Copyright entry 
CLASS Q^XXa No. 
COPY B. 


Copyright, 1903, 
by 

FLETCHER CHENAULT, 
in the 

United States 
and 

Great Britain. 
Entered at Stationer’s Hall, 
London. 

All Rights Reserved. 


Children of DetUny. 


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PREFACE. 


Pre-eminent on the roll-call of nations in re- 
gard to the national classification of industry, 
the United States boasts moreover of business 
men who have the grit and energy and tenacity 
to fight their battles, whether bloodless or bloody ; 
in commerce or in war; at home or in foreign 
lands. Our country has attained that prosperity 
when we can compare ourselves with any nation — 
aye, even with the powerful Britain — in matters 
pertaining to commerce and pushing business 
thrift. What less could have been expected in 
the blending of Puritan and Cavalier; English, 
French and Dutch into a great educational and 
commercial commonwealth, whose people are des- 
tined to ^^rise or fall togetheF^? 

The author does not offer as an apology the fact 
that he was only nineteen years of age when the 
book was written; but the reader will understand 
that in maturer years he may have a deeper in- 
sight into men — their nature and characteristics — 
and a clearer knowledge of the world in general. 
No one could well deny that there is an abundance 
of room for improvement. 

Faithfully, 

The Author. 




CHILDREN OF DESTINY. 


CHAPTER 1. 

In the wilds of Central America, in the little 
State of Maraqnapez, one would be surprised to 
suddenly stumble upon a settlement at the base of 
a little mountain, as full of life and energy as a 
town in the States. In a country of such a tropical, 
lazy climate and such indolent, non-progressive 
people, the fact of life and energy would, to the 
modern American, be surprising in itself ; but not 
only did this little village of Velasco assume all of 
the afore-mentioned life and energy of an eastern 
factory town, but exhibited on all sides, the un- 
mistakable signs of modern American improve- 
ments. 

First in importance, a little railway line 
stretched away through the forests to the seaport 
towns of San Samanca, which was also the capital 
of the Republic of Maraquapez. The line was 
only ten miles long and ran partly through a dense 
forest, but dividing at intervals great coffee plan- 
tations. The ^^San Samanca and Velasco,’^ or the 
^^S. S. and V.^^ as the owners jestingly termed their 
railroad, which was fitted up with modern con- 


2 


Children of Destiny. 

trivances for the increase of speed and locomotive 
power; and though the passenger trade was com- 
paratively nothing, it was given a passenger coach 
— more for the benefit of the employees at the 
mines than for any other purpose. 

The S. and V.” was built by the Velasco 
Mining Co., as has been stated, which had opened 
up the mines, built the little cabins on the side of 
the mountain for the workmen, and constructed the 
railroad for the transportation of their mineral 
products. 

The company had started their business twelve 
months previous, but at this date the real work of 
mining had just begun. The task of getting into 
shape had been a difficult one. The first delay 
occurred when the company made an offer of pur- 
chase to the government, and bargained with the 
rich coffee planters for a right of way. 

The indolent government officials and the 
equally indolent planters were slow men to bargain 
with. Another trouble lay in securing native 
workmen. Those of the white people that were 
compelled to work, always joined the army, and 
all the hard labor was performed by the Indians. 
But the Indians were hostile toward foreigners, 
and only about fifty, that were out of employment, 
consented, after much wrangling, to hire to the 
Americans. 

The company was compelled to import two hun- 
dred workmen from the States — about seventy-five 
of whom were negroes. And then the building of 
the road, the construction of the machine shops 
and cabins, and the clearing away of underbrush 
occupied considerable time. 


3 


Children of Destiny. 

The Velasco Mining Co. was formed by stock- 
holders in New York and Maraqnapez — all of 
whom were Americans. A young man named Tre- 
maine Grant was the largest stockholder, and presi- 
dent of the company. The rest of the company 
were all old men, with the exception of one — a 
young Southerner, Garland McCain. 

Grant and McCain first met at college, where 
they played on the football team together. A 
warm attachment had sprung up between the two, 
but the separation after school days had almost 
caused them to forget each other. 

Grant^s father had been a poor business man, 
although rather lucky in speculation, which had 
won for him a few thousand dollars, and which 
Tremaine inherited. This small sum placed Tre- 
maine above poverty, and was enough to give him 
a good view of the world, and start him in business 
too. 

Grant’s desire had always been to see the world ; 
so after his father’s death he spent a few years 
in travel, during which period he had learned a 
great deal of the speech and manners of the ma- 
jority of people on the globe. Once he dropped 
into a concert garden in Vienna, to hear some of 
the thrilling Viennese music and gaze in admira- 
tion on some of the beautiful Viennese girls. 

All foreigners are quick to observe any feature 
of their own country, and Grant was a close ob- 
' server. He sat down by a young man whom he 
noticed to be attired in the jaunty dress of his own 
country. Noting this fact, he glanced at the 
profile of the face that was turned away from him 
— evidently deeply interested in the music. He 


4 Children of Destiny. 

was satisfied that the young man was of either Eng- 
lish or American origin, and it occurred to him 
that he had seen that profile before. The next 
moment the face was turned in his direction, and 
Grant was surprised to meet, in the Old World, his 
old college chum. Garland McCain. 

McCain was glad to see him. He too was 
traveling about the world studying the people, their 
customs and their nature ; and the old spots made 
famous by the ancients. After a few remarks, 
concerning the other and their purposes, the two 
men quickly decided to change their former plans 
and travel together. And thus their friendship 
was continued and strengthened in being fellow 
travelers in a foreign country. 

McCain’s father had been a wealthy planter on 
the Mississippi. Garland himself knew but little 
of business, and cared still less. When his father 
died, the heir left his plantations in charge of 
a general manager, and went on a long voyage 
around the world. In his luxuriously furnished 
yacht, called the ^^May flower,” he had cruised in 
all the waters of the old and new continent. 

The year after the accidental meeting in Vienna, 
the two friends cruised along the coast of Central 
and South America in McCain’s yacht; and even 
went a short way up the Amazon. Just off the 
coast of Central America, it happened that their 
coal supply ran short, which necessitated their 
laying over at San Samanca, the capital of Mara- 
quapez, for a few days. 

To the two travelers, who had for a while led 
the fast life of the Parisians and Viennese, loaf- 
ing about the capital city of a little Central Ameri- 


Children of Destiny. 5 

can State, was rather dull. In order to pass away 
the time satisfactorily, they hired saddle horses 
and a guide one day, and rode into the forest to 
hunt. 

When they arrived at the low mountains, where 
Velasco now stands. Grant made some discoveries, 
which, after considering the natural formations of 
the country, induced him to believe that there was 
much mineral ore in the mountains. A long so- 
journ in many of the mineral regions of the world 
and especially the Rocky Mountains, had made him 
something of an authority in such matters, and 
McCain did not accept his opinion scornfully, but 
promised to remain with him in Maraquapez a few 
days, until they had looked into the matter further. 

While they were returning to the city, a thunder 
storm came up suddenly, as was customary in those 
regions. The forest, by reason of the numerous 
dead trees scattered about ready to fall, was, to 
say the least, a dangerous place to be, in a heavy 
electrical storm. So the friends hastened toward 
the nearest hacienda, which, as the guide informed 
them, was the home of an American — Mr. Hemp- 
stead. Feeling sure of a welcome from one of 
their own countrymen, the young Americans rode 
hurriedly for Mr. Hempstead’s plantation. Arriv- 
ing there, they dismounted and asked to see the 
master. 

When the two had introduced themselves, Mr. 
Hempstead greeted them warmly. 

Mr. George T. Hempstead, they learned, was, five 
years before that date, a resident of Hew York 
City and quite wealthy, but, like many others, 


6 


Children of Destiny. 

had speculated and had been fleeced. He lost most 
of his fortune in one big speculation. 

Not wishing to remain where he had been so 
well-known in the business world, Mr. Hempstead 
came to Maraquapez, where, with the little money 
he had saved from the crush, he bought a sugar and 
coflee plantation. In three years Mr. Hempstead 
was, so to speak, on his feet again. The sugar and 
coflee plantation had been a great success. With 
the profits realized in those three years he had been 
able to give his children a final wind-up of school- 
ing by an extended tour of Europe and the Orient. 

The planter presented his three daughters — the 
Misses Lillian, Mabel and Miriam. The first was 
a tall, stately, and dignified young woman, of a 
quiet and unassuming beauty, the second daughter 
was much like her sister, except that her manner 
was more gay and sociable. But the youngest — 
Miriam — was the fairest of the three, and though a 
girl of eighteen, was the recipient of much ad- 
miration. Her girl friends loved her; the young 
men worshipped at her shrine, and her father 
adored her above the rest of his children. 

McCain’s Southern temperament troubled him 
on this occasion, for he fell in love with Miriam’s 
beauty and sv/eet ways, at first sight. To McCain 
was given the passionate, hot-blooded and fiery 
ways of his country — the South. Further, he was 
given what we have doubtless forgotten to state — 
some poetical talent. 

Grant too, was favorably impressed with the 
beauty, sweetness and intelligence of the younger 
sister, but he learned that all of the planter’s 
daughters were pretty, sweet and intelligent to a 


Children of Destiny. 7 

certain degree, although inferior to Miriam. The 
elder girls too, had charming manners, and had 
seen much of the world and good society. They 
had moved in New York’s Four Hundred when 
their father was one of that city’s rich business 
men, and they had left scores of admirers behind. 
But each of them declared that society was very 
futile and foolish, and that they were well satis- 
fied in Maraquapez, and among the best society of 
the capital city — San Samanca — ^had found intel- 
ligent and sympathetic people. 

Mr. Hempstead was not proud of his son. 
Thomas Hempstead had not shown any distinct 
signs of superiority in any profession or occupa- 
tion, except that of lounging on the plaza of San 
Samanca, and smoking cigarettes — a habit much 
practiced in that country. But when he sauntered 
into the parlor to meet the guests, much surprise 
was shown on all sides, when it was learned that 
the three young men had been college mates. 
They had all played on the same football team and, 
therefore, were great friends in the old days. For 
it is a fact that science and education are fast 
travelers, and instead of relating all concerning 
their studies and standing at college, as was com- 
mon a long time ago, the college man of to-day has 
much to tell of football and his great struggles 
for the honor of the college and the team. 

This new fact of Tom’s acquaintance with the 
guests, gave them a stronger place with the family, 
and yielding to their urgent invitation, the visit 
was prolonged two or three days. Grant had in 
mind when he accepted, the belief that ore existed 
in the country, while McCain desired a better ac- 


8 Children of Destiny. 

quaintance with the girl whose beauty had at- 
tracted him. 

During the time of their stay, they were very 
delightfully entertained by the Hempsteads. The 
girls were brilliant conversationalists ; Mr. Hemp- 
stead interested them by recounting the rich re- 
sources of the country and the great fertility of 
the soil. Tom hunted with them, showed them 
over the country, and took them to the balls and 
dinners given by the rich planters, who were mostly 
of Spanish descent. 

One day. Grant mentioned to Mr. Hempstead 
his belief that mineral ore existed in the mountain 
he had examined. 

^‘^Mineral is certainly there,^’ replied Mr. Hemp- 
stead, “in fact some mining has been carried on. 
Owing to a revolution, however — something very 
common in this country — the work was stopped. 
The people here were too indolent to open up the 
work again. Yes, I have been informed that the 
yield was enormous, and I have no doubt that the 
work would have been resumed had the original 
promoters lived through the revolution.^^ 

“Why haven’t you pushed the matter and in- 
vested in it ?” Grant asked. 

“Well, to be frank, I haven’t the capital to in- 
vest in that, and still continue all of my business. 
I have purchased additional lands and a bank in 
San Samanca this year, and in order to keep all 
of that business going, I will have to expend a 
great deal of money. But I am willing, at any 
time, to become a stockholder with any honest 
and stirring business man.” 


Children of Destiny. 9 

‘^Suppose we visit the mine again and examine 
the old shaft?” 

So, in company with Tom and McCain, they 
rode over and examined the old shaft. Besides 
having taken an extended course in civil engineer- 
ing at college. Grant’s observations among the 
mines in the west had been beneficial to him. 
Further investigation convinced him, that, with 
plenty of capital, a good yield was promised to 
any one who pushed the business properly. He 
was satisfied more than ever, that the precious 
metal existed there. 

When the party returned. Grant called a con- 
sultation. When they were seated, and cigars 
passed around, he delivered himself of his opinion. 

am quite satisfied that the mines, if worked 
in the right way, will yield the promoters an abun- 
dance of ore. I am so fully convinced of this, 
that I intend to invest all of my own capital, if I 
can get the right parties to join me in the enter- 
prise. In order to work the mines, it will be neces- 
sary to build a railroad to the coast — to San 
Samanca. Then numerous machine shops and 
cabins will. have to be constructed. It is not my 
wish to influence you gentlemen to invest in any- 
thing that may eventually turn out to be a ^South 
Sea Bubble.’ If you think yourselves, however, 
that this will turn out to be a lucky investment, 
I would be pleased to have you form a stock com- 
pany with myself, and two or three New York 
friends.” 

^^As I have said before, I am willing to invest,” 
said Mr. Hempstead. 

^^Well, I don’t know much about mining my- 


10 Children of Destiny. 

self/^ admitted McCain, ^H^ut I believe Grant does. 
At any rate, I am willing to risk money on his 
jndgment.^^ 

McCain’s thoughts had been of Miriam. He had 
confidence in Grant, as he stated, but whether the 
mine paid or not, he thought it worth the money 
to be near her. In other words, McCain ‘fiiad 
reached the stage of foolishness in love.” 

^^Very well,” said Grant, don’t think either 
of you will ever see the day you will regret it. But 
I warn you that much expenditure must be consid- 
ered before we will realize any profit — you will see 
that yourself, when you consider how much must 
be done in the way of building and getting ready. 
Could you go with me to-morrow, Mr. Hempstead, 
to confer with the Secretary of Agriculture and 
Mines, and the President ?” 


Children of Destiny. 


11 


CHAPTER 11. 

Early the next morning the men drove over to 
San Samanca in Mr. Hempstead^s family carriage. 
The distance from the plantation to the city was 
only eight miles, and Miriam Hempstead went with 
them to see a girl friend of hers — Senorita Inez 
De Callabaro, the daughter of the Secretary of 
Agricnltnre and Mines. 

Altering their former intentions somewhat, the 
party decided to accept the secretary’s cordial in- 
vitation and spend the whole day with him. Al- 
though his daughter was absent for the day on a 
visit to her cousin in the country, so he explained 
to them, he would endeavor to do the honors of the 
house, and see to their comfort as far as it lay in 
his power. 

The secretary was a little old man, very polite 
and affable, and a favorite of the people, who were 
used to the true politician and not men whose opin- 
ion would not change with circumstances. His 
political career had given satisfaction to all, and 
this was quietly demonstrated, by continual support 
and requests, that he accept much higher positions 
in the government offices. Mr. Hempstead had 
spoken highly to Grant of the secretary, and a long 
residence among the people had taught the planter 
whom one could trust and not trust, among the 


12 Children of Destiny. 

Spanish descended gentry — the better class of 
Maraquapez society. 

After dinner, Mr. Hempstead, Grant and the 
secretary, repaired to a cool place on the lawn to 
smoke and discuss the business they had on hand. 
The polite little secretary listened very attentively 
to what they had to say. When Grant had con- 
cluded, he nodded his head approvingly several 
times. 

^^What you have to say is very good,’’ he said, 
^The mines ought to be worked, yes, and I am sorry 
my people have not been energetic enough to take 
hold of the work and carry it through themselves. 
But since they are not, you should have the mines 
by all means, and I will do all in my power to 
have the land sold to you at the figure you men- 
tion, but I warn you that the officials here are slow. 
They have not the get-up of you Americans. 

‘^You say that you will have to telegraph to 
Hew York for an expert to come down and examine 
the mines, and will have to communicate with 
your friends in that city before you can legalize 
this offer? Very well. In the meantime I will 
broach the subject to the officials interested, and 
see if the offer will be accepted favorably. I have 
no doubt, though, that it will, because the whites 
have never opposed your immigration to our coun- 
try, and opening up our crude wealth.” 

Tom had hied away after dinner to talk with 
some friends on the Plaza, and as McCain knew 
but little of mining and less of government af- 
fairs, he accompanied Miriam out to see his yacht. 
Miriam had been disappointed in not finding thei 
Senorita Inez at home, and requested the poeb 


Children of Destiny. 13 

to take her out to the ^^Mayflower/^ which she de- 
clared looked beautiful resting on the clear waters 
of the harbor. 

Miriam was delighted with the modern con- 
veniences of the yacht. McCain smiled to him- 
self as he watched her peering into every hole and 
corner, as if she were a naval inspector, and get- 
ting acquainted with the rough, old sailors, who 
were as respectful toward her, as if she were a 
young princess, and they her subjects. Once, upon 
the main deck, she dropped her handkerchief, and 
immediately a dozen stalwart frames bumped into 
each other, like athletes on .a football gridiron. 
Miriam laughed while watching them. 

‘^WasnH it funny?’’ she said. ‘‘It reminded me 
of a football game I saw once. Thank you,” she 
said to the seaman who presented her the handker- 
chief, while he held his cap in his hand. “You 
need not have taken so much trouble to get it for 
me, though,” and the seaman, on looking upon 
her bright, sunny face, and listening to her sweet 
words of thanks, felt himself more than rewarded 
for the little trouble. 

“What a different girl from those I have 
known,” muttered McCain, as he silently followed 
her about the yacht. “So much like a girl and 
woman blended into one — and yet — perfectly lov- 
able.” 

To have seen Miriam going over the yacht, pry- 
ing into every nook and corner, one would have 
thought there was little of the woman in her. She 
examined everything and demanded to know the 
use of everything — and her curiosity was not as- 
sumed, which made it all the more girl-like. But 


14 Children of Destiny. 

she tried to cram into her head too much under- 
standing, and the result was, only a confused idea 
of the working of the machinery, and no perfect 
recollection of the functions of any one piece. 

They dined in state, out upon the deck, with the 
canvas stretched above, to protect them from the 
sun’s rays. McCain was a lover of the luxurious, 
and he had his cook bring out the costliest and 
choicest meats and viands for their refreshment. 
This order was obeyed to the letter, and the cook 
was proud of the dinner he had to set before them. 

Captain McCarthy was invited to dine with 
them and, though only a rugged, weather-beaten 
chief on the seas, the captain surprised the modern 
young lady by his polite and affable speech. He 
could tell many tales too of the ^^Mayflower’s” ad- 
ventures on Oriental seas and in the ‘fland of the 
midnight sun,” wherein McCain came in for a 
great share of daring and reckless bravery. Mc- 
Cain bore all his visitor’s praises modestly, and 
took occasion to correct the captain when he ex- 
aggerated his employer’s adventures, and enlarged 
upon his daring. 

McCain’s negro valet, Jim, was even more 
courteous and polite than when one year before 
that date, his master had entertained a few of the 
nobility off the coast of Brighton. As Jim had 
been almost at his best that day, and made himself 
famous by his sweeping bows and over-polite re- 
plies to the questions addressed to him, what could 
be said of him then, as he bowed and scraped all 
over the deck, in an effort to show that he had been 
well bred ? It was Miriam’s flrst sight of the South- 
ern darky, and Jim’s scrupulous fidelity to his 


15 


Children of Destiny. 

master and polite obsequiousness, won for his race 
in the South her good opinion. She did not know 
that Jim^s deferential manner had been obtained 
only through stern reminding and a free use of 
profanity. 

‘‘How I would like to have lived in the South 
when I was a little girl, and had my ‘Black 
mammy’ as Southern girls do — did you have a 
black mammy?” McCain smiled. 

“The grandmother of that very ebony ‘nigger’ 
that stands grinning there, like some of the 
monkeys back in yonder forest, was my nurse. She 
was my father’s nurse, before me.” 

“Oh, wasn’t that nice! I know that you al- 
ways see that she never wants for anything.” 

“Oh, yes. She lives better than any of the 
negroes on my place, and doesn’t have a thing to do 
but to smoke her pipe and tell tales of the days 
before the war. Whenever I wander back to the 
old home, which is very seldom, she always comes 
up to the house and sees that my housekeeper has 
everything fixed as she used to when I was a rebel- 
lious boy entrusted to her care. And, if every- 
thing is not arranged just as she wishes, there is a 
great row, and she brings her troubles to me, be- 
cause she knows that I will decide in her favor, 
She knows just what I like best almost better than 
I.” 

“And your country — what is it like?” 

“Stretches of level lowland and miles of great 
cotton plantations,” McCain replied. “My home 
is a broad, white building, with wide verandas, 
where my father used to sit in his lawn chair and 
talk of affairs of the neighborhood and cotton — 


16 Children of Destiny. 

mostly cotton. Then there is the large, white 
colonnades, that I used to try to climb, and the 
large-leaved magnolias in the yard, under whose 
shade I used to lie at full length and gaze on the 
broad Mississippi in the distance, and wish that I 
could board the puffing steamers and sail away — 
away down to New Orleans, and out upon the 
great ocean. And I remember the forces of hands 
in the fields, and the sad, old plantation songs. 
Those were happy days then, and I got my wish of 
going out into the world too soon.’^ 

The sailors all gathered on deck and lined along 
the shining brass railing of the ^^Mayflower’^ to 
salute their first captain and raise their caps to his 
fair guest as they stepped into the long boat to be 
rowed back to the shore. It was a joy to these 
rough men, who had smoked their pipes in the 
shadow of the great wall of China, fought 
street fights in Melbourne, and drunk the health of 
the President in the drinking booths of Constanti- 
nople, to see again a fair-skinned maid of their 
own country, even if they could only stand afar 
and gaze at her, the better part of a warm tropical 
afternoon. 

^Tbank you,” said Miriam, as McCain carefully 
lifted her ashore. have enjoyed the visit very 
much. Your men all seem to admire you so 
much,” she added, as they stood watching the sail- 
ors row the long-boat back to the yacht. 

"'Oh, I suppose so,” McCain replied indifferently. 
His eyes were upon the trim little yacht resting 
lightly in the smooth waters of the bay, but his 
heart's beating kept time to the measured oar- 
strokes of the seamen in the long-boat. 


Children of Destiny. 17 

Meanwhile, Grant and Mr. Hempstead had gone 
to see the President, hoping to secure his assistance 
in the concession and purchase of the land for 
mining purposes. Sehor He Callabaro had sent 
them to him, stating that he was sure the President 
would give an attentive ear to their offers, as, in 
his opinion, they were very reasonable and conces- 
sionary to the government. 

The sun was getting low, and it was conse- 
quently much cooler. Grant had his eyes and ears 
both open as they drove down the shaded streets. 
The customs and manners of the people did not 
differ materially from those of South American 
towns that he had just visited, but, notwithstand- 
ing that fact, he was very much interested in the 
dark-skinned people and their ways, and the low, 
white Spanish buildings. 

They passed the cathedral. The people were 
mostly Eoman Catholics, and Mr. Hempstead re- 
marked that the cathedral had been standing a 
great many years. It was long and low, and gray, 
with colored windows, and a high steeple, in which 
hung a large bell which rang out far over the town 
every Sunday morning, commanding its many 
members to religious services. High up above the 
street the glittering cross reflected the rays of the 
departing sun. 

^^The capitol is a good imitation of our own,^^ 
remarked Mr. Hempstead, pointing to a white 
building back among the trees. 

^^Yes,^’ assented Grant, ^Tut they cannot imitate 
the great minded patriots that flrst thundered in 
our senate — not even some of the latter-day states- 
men.^^ 


18 Children of Destiny. 

nor does this President remind me of any 
of onr own,” replied Mr. Hempstead. ^^Yon know 
that back in our country we have created a vast dif- 
ference between the words ^politicians and ^states- 
man.s Well, in my opinion, this President is a 
politician and not a statesman.^^ 

‘^1 would not be surprised to find that the case,^^ 
said Grant, ^^nor that all of the government officials 
of Maraquapez are politicians and not statesmen.^s 

^‘^No. I differ with you there. There are gen- 
tlemen among them. They are not very numer- 
ous, it is true.ss 

‘T am glad that such is the case,^^ said Grant, 
^^my work down here will be just that much easier.ss 

A servant in livery met the two men at the door 
and took their cards up to the President. He was 
gone for some time, but finally returned with a 
message from the President, stating that if they 
wished to confer with him on business, they would 
have to call at his office to-morrow at ten. 

^^Confound him,” muttered Mr. Hempstead, as 
the two retraced their steps down the walk to the 
carriage. “That is all the answer we need to our 
proposal. It is just his natural pride and mean 
disposition that stands in his way. He wants 
every one to know, and especially foreigners, that 
he is Laredo, President of Maraquapez. I could 
almost wish that a revolution would come just to 
show him how little he is, and how little the people 
regard him.” 

“I understand that revolutions are not infre- 
quent here?” 

“They certainly are not, and it is my firm opin- 
ion that one is preparing itself now. Of course 


Children of Destiny. 19 

you need not mention the matter elsewhere, but 
the people, though apparently loyal, do not like 
this stuffed up fellow. They love De Callabaro, 
and they have even sent deputations to him, com- 
posed of men from the high and low classes, the 
senate and the army, to tender him the office of 
president, if he would sanction a revolution. But 
De Callabaro is a decent sort of fellow, and too 
much of a patriot to start a revolution, so he sent 
them back with an emphatic ^no,^ telling them to 
have patience, and bide their time. If he but gave 
the word, Laredo would be ousted in a short while 
with no resistance, unless it were made by the In- 
dians. I donT know how the latter people regard 
him, but their say in the matter would be much, 
since they are the majority ; and I am afraid that if 
he opposed your immigration here, and called upon 
them to stand by him, they would do so, because 
they are hostile toward foreigners.^’ 

^Tf I were De Callabaro, I believe I would make 
myself President. I know some fellows up in the 
States that would not have to be asked to lead a 
rebellion, if there was the remotest chance of its 
final success.” 

^^And I know of some men up in the States who 
would make a better President than Laredo. But 
it won’t concern us who is the President, if we can 
effect the purchase of that mining land all right.” 


20 


Children of Destiny, 


CHAPTER III. 

When" Grant and Mr. Hempstead arrived again 
at the home of the Secretary of Agriculture and 
Mines, they learned that Miriam and McCain had 
returned and also the Sehorita Inez. Grant was 
made aware of the latter fact, when in the broad 
reception room, he found himself standing before 
a tall, dark-eyed and dark-haired girl, who was 
introduced to him by that name. The Sehorita 
Inez was pretty, vivacious and graceful ; but Grant 
had met her kind of beauty in both Spain and 
Mexico, and had passed safely by their charms. 
Brown eyes and hair were more to his liking — es- 
pecially a soft and dark brown — just such as Miri- 
am had, he thought, glancing at his country- 
woman. 

^^Are you favorably impressed with our country, 
Sehor asked the secretary’s daughter, in the soft, 
languid tones of her country, when she discovered 
that Grant was seated near her. Sehorita Miriam 
has informed me that you have traveled much.” 

Grant was glad that even in the society of his 
handsome friend, the girl had been kind enough to 
mention to her friend some circumstance relating 
to himself. It was a good sign that he was not so 
very easily forgotten. 

^^Your country is very fertile, and, as I believe, 


Children of Destiny. 21 

rich in mineral wealth, Senorita,^’ he replied, tak- 
ing her fan, ^‘but not yet opened np. Time will 
disclose the true wealth of the state, and not until 
then will much progress be made. Your climate 
is mild and pleasant, and I notice that there are 
some very beautiful ladies in Maraquapez. But 
you must remember that I have not been here very 
long, and have not yet had time to discover all the 
advantages and virtues of the country 

^^Nor its vices, I am afraid.^^ 

^Tn my country, Sehorita, the law considers a 
man innocent of a charge until proven guilty. 
Until I find Maraquapez guilty, I shall consider her 
innocent/^ 

^^You are merciful, but I am afraid that it will 
not be long before you learn much more than you 
know, and enough to convict us.^^ 

‘^Maraquapez will not be alone in that respect, 
then. There is another feature I have forgotten to 
comment upon- — the beautiful music made by the 
band in the Plaza. 

“Do you wish to go out upon the veranda and 
listen?’^ she asked. 

“Yes. If you wish to go/’ replied Grant, and 
after motioning for Miriam and McCain to follow 
the senorita, led the way out upon the veranda. 

This time Grant ^Qund himself seated next to 
Miriam, and was not ^orry. Like McCain, he had 
found the girl very different from those he had 
known. He had mixed in the society of girls at 
home who, owing to the free use of artificial mix- 
tures, had transformed themselves from frights to 
pretty women, and whose tongues were as prone 
to lie as tell the truth. They always left the im- 


22 Children of Destiny. 

pression that they were little less than beautiful 
princesses, in whose society one was much honored. 

^^What a pity/^ thought Grant, ^^that some sen- 
sible and strong-minded men are deceived and take 
this sort of creatures into their homes.” 

Miriam was young, only eighteen, and did not 
understand the ways of the world. At times she 
seemed a woman with more practicability than 
common in a girl of her age. She loved her dogs 
and ponies, and her family — that was the extent of 
her affection. Only the simple questions of home 
and her friends bothered her. She never troubled 
herself with the deeper questions of love and dis- 
appointment, because she was unacquainted with 
either. 

The poet leaned far over the banisters as if to 
catch every tremor of the soft and languid notes 
of the violins. For the Southern violinist portrays 
the passionate, hot-blooded temperament of his 
people quite naturally, and the music is more than 
inspiring. 

So Grant thought as he sat by Miriam and lis- 
tened and breathed in the wild love song played by 
the musicians. It occurred to him that he himself 
had been much of a laggard in love affairs. It 
was time, he thought, that he was thinking seri- 
ously of that future which seemed to him to be 
BO vague and uncertain. 

But Grant was not too much wedded to business 
to understand that ‘Tailing in love and being in 
love” was not altogether a business proposition. 
He knew, in fact, that love smacked less of busi- 
ness than anything else. And he was not so far 
sold to business that he could sell his heart. 


Children of Destiny. 23 

^^Did you meet the President to-day, Mr. 
Grant 

did not. His Excellency was not at home to 

us.^^ 

‘^His not being ^at home’ does not surprise me,” 
she observed. ^‘1 had quite a silly debate with his 
Excellency once. He asked me, in an insinuating 
tone, why Spanish girls were prettier than Ameri- 
can girls. I know it wasn’t right for me to get 
angry but I could not help it. I told him that it 
was probably another example of what the snake 
typified — a treacherous beauty. I added also that 
beauty was generally given to the least progressive 
people — Spain and Italy for example — probably 
as a reward for being so unkind to them other- 
wise.” 

^‘That was an apt reply — what did he say to 
that?” 

'^He bit his lip and turned away. But I know 
he hasn’t forgotten that, and I know he would 
get revenge in some way if he could. He hates 
me anyway.” 

think he hasn’t much love to spare for 
foreigners. But what caused him to make the 
broad assertion that Spanish girls are prettier than 
American girls? It is not so, you know.” 

^'Don’t you think they are prettier than Ameri- 
cans? Take the Senorita Inez there for instance 
— isn’t she very pretty?” 

acknowledge that the Senorita Inez is very 
good looking. But I know an American girl not 
far from where she sits that is much prettier than 
the senorita,” Grant said smilingly and gazing 
at Miriam. 


24 Children of Destiny. 

she said smiling, suppose that is 
meant for me. I thank you, but I am afraid it 
was meant in a spirit of flattery.’^ 

^^Oh, no. I am a very sincere person as you 
will learn after we become better acquainted.^^ 
am afraid that if you wish to convince me 
of that fact you will have to go about it in a bet- 
ter way. You will have to retract the statement 
just uttered or explain that your judgment is very 
poor.” 

^‘1 retract nothing and I claim to be a good 
judge of beauty. But of course my word adds 
but little testimony to the many that have already 
assured you that you are prettier than the native 
white girls.” 

^^If there are any that have made that bold as- 
sertion, I attribute it as I have your words to a 
desire to be pleasant at the expense of truth.” 

McCain meanwhile had little eyes or ears for 
anything but the music. He was one of those 
wild, imaginative sort of fellows, who are geniuses 
and really good at the core. Edgar Allan Poe is 
another example and both possessed the same char- 
acteristic. Music, especially the music of the 
violin, and poetry are closely allied, and in the 
music McCain heard all of the passionate wild im- 
pulses that flitted through his brain. 

When Tom returned it was late and the visitors 
decided that it was time for them to return. 
McCain and Grant explained to the senorita that 
they had highly enjoyed themselves, and would 
accept the secretary’s invitation to call again. 

“I hope we shall see more of you both,” said 
the senorita in her soft dulcet tones. ^Tf you 


Children of Destiny. 25 

decide to stay in Maraquapez we will be glad to 
have yon call/’ 

Until late that night the two young men and 
the coffee planter sat and talked of their plans in 
regard to the new company they were attempting 
to form. 

^Uf our plans are carried through, I shall ask to 
be made resident director/’ said Grant; am 

quite sure I can accomplish the work, and it is 
time I should turn my attention to something. 
If I ever intend to make anything of myself, 
it is certainly not too early.” 

^^Well, I think as much about myself,” said 
McCain. ^^Here have I been wandering about 
doing nothing when I should have been at work. 
What can I do?” 

^^You need not do anything but see after the 
shipments at hTew Orleans.” 

^‘^Oh, I want something hard. I want to come 
down here, you know, and get out in the weather 
and keep my health straight. I want rough jobs 
where I can get tanned from exposure and where 
I can grow as stout as a blacksmith.” 

‘‘Well, you can come down here, then, and act 
as a sort of assistant. Then you can pick out 
any hard work you want,” said Grant. “If my 
opinion of these people is correct, I am afraid 
we will have trouble in securing workmen.” 

“I am afraid you will have to import all your 
labor from the States,” said Mr. Hempstead; 
“or at least most of it. The white people here 
won’t work, and the Indians won’t work for Ameri- 
cans unless they can’t find employment elsewhere.” 

“Well, I think we can make it all right in our 


26 Children of Destiny. 

country. Our people always have an eye open for 
some new country. But I see that it will be nec- 
essary for McCain and me to go to New York, 
and we might as well start to-morrow. While 
we are there, we can do the work we intended do- 
ing by telegraph.^^ 

The next morning the young ladies went with 
Tom and Mr. Hempstead to San Samanca to see 
the young men off; or, as Lillian said, to keep 
Tom from stopping along the road to bet on 
some rooster fight or dog race. 

Amidst a chorus of good-byes the two young 
men were rowed to the yacht, the anchor lifted 
and the journey homeward resumed. Grant and 
McCain each stood with a glass in hand upon the 
quarter-deck, and each man’s eye rested upon the 
figure of a girl in white organdie, who stood at 
one side of the group on the wharf and waved a 
white handkerchief after the departing ^^May- 
flower.” 


Children of Destiny, 


27 


CHAPTER IV. 

Grant’s work had been highly successful. The 
company was formed, the lands bought of the 
Government, and a reasonable tax agreed upon, 
and now, after twelve months had gone by, the 
work showed gratifying results. 

President Laredo, as was expected, objected 
strongly to the sale of the land, and tried every 
possible way to prevent the bargain. But, happily 
for Maraquapez, the President’s authority is not 
as powerful as the ruler of an absolute monarchy, 
so the land was finally secured through the valua- 
ble assistance of Senor De Callabaro. 

Grant was the first to return to Maraquapez. 
McCain left him at New Orleans, and while Grant 
resumed his journey on an ocean steamer, McCain 
traveled through the South in search of more 
workmen. In a month he left for San Samanca 
with the required number of laborers on board 
his yacht. He had come back to assist Grant in 
the mines, he explained to every one, but it did 
not take a shrewd person to understand that he 
had something else in view also. Whether that 
was McCain’s reason for returning or not, it was 
soon observed that he spent much more time 
with the Hempstead girls, listening to the band 
playing in the Plaza, or at some social event 


28 Children of Destiny. 

where they happened to be. He was rarely at the 
mines in the daytime. ' 

Grant, on the other hand, had accomplished a 
great deal of work since he had been appointed 
director general. 

He had cut a pathway and run his railway 
through the jungles and plantations. He had 
cut the trees and underbrush away from a part 
of the mountain and had torn great chasms in 
the ground. He had built twenty-five or thirty 
cabins near the base of the mountain, besides a 
post-office and commissary, several machine shops 
and two or three carpenter and blacksmith shops. 
The S. and terminated in front of the 
post-office, and just across the road he built a 
cottage for himself and assistants. The cottage 
was low, with but a narrow veranda and a front 
room reserved for an office. The office contained 
a long table and a roller-top desk; maps and 
charts were scattered all over the room. It was 
here that Grant held daily consultations with 
McCain, Hamilton, the general foreman, and Col- 
lins, the chief engineer, much like army officers in 
a war campaign. 

Hamilton was a young miner whom Grant had 
met while traveling in the mining regions. The 
young fellow^s ingenuity and mining knowledge 
at such an early age had attracted the New Yorker, 
and he engaged the young man to preside as fore- 
man of the works. 

Hamilton was a sort of ^ffiiamond in the rough.’' 
His education was limited, but he had enough 
to keep him from being uncomfortable in good 
society, and to be of assistance to him in solving 


Children of Destiny. 29 

mathematical problems. He had seen little of 
the best side of life and a great deal of the rough ; 
a long residence in the rough mining regions of 
the West had taught him to be as quick and cool 
in hitting an enemy as in shaking hands with a 
friend. Fighting had been such a common thing 
back in the days when he was a cowboy on the 
Texas plains that he did not find it necessary to be- 
come excited over it. 

Collins, the engineer, was an old man to whom 
machinery was a mere toy, and the art of mining 
and railroading mere play. Both Grant and 
Hamilton always consulted with him before under- 
taking a difficult task, and they learned that his 
plans were generally the best. Like Hamilton, 
Collins had come from the West, where he had 
been associated with mines and mining for many 
years. Collins had superintended many difficult 
pieces of engineering in his day, and had been 
consulted upon as many more. 

Late one afternoon, while Grant was seated in 
his office, he heard a light step upon his threshold, 
and turning, he was considerably surprised to see 
Miriam standing in the doorway. She was dressed 
in a riding habit, and held a tiny riding-whip in 
her hand. Miriam was an enthusiastic horsewoman 
and was never better pleased than when in com- 
pany with her pet dogs, she rode over the coun- 
try — sometimes at full speed. Neither of her 
sisters would ride with her much — ^they claimed 
that it was so unladylike. Tom was too lazy to 
ride anywhere, unless it was absolutely necessary, 
or there was enough fun in it to justify his taking 
so much trouble. Grant was always too busy, and 


30 Children of Destiny. 

so it was left to McCain to assist her in that pleas- 
ure. 

have come to ask you to go riding with me/’ 
Miriam announced. ^^You have promised, you 
know, and I hold you a man of your word.” 

^^But I did not promise for this evening,” said 
Grant, trying to “crawfish” out of it. No one 
would have enjoyed a horseback ride with her 
more, but he had denied himself all pleasure un- 
til he had his business fixed solid, which would 
take about a month 3^et. “I can’t leave the mines 
this evening.” 

“Well, I have waited long enough. I will make 
this proposal, however. If you do not want to 
ride with me, I will cancel that debt if you will 
show me over the mine.” 

“I see that I shall have to do so,” said Grant; 
“not but that it will be a pleasure, but the mines 
are dirty and sooty.” 

“I don’t care. I am willing to sacrifice a dress 
for that much knowledge — and of course pleas- 
ure,” she added hastily. 

“You speak as if the pleasure would be subordi- 
nate to the knowledge.’ 

“Oh, no — knowledge, or the search after knowl- 
edge, is pleasure to me.” 

“Oh, I see,” and Grant felt that he did not 
make anything by his reminder. 

So he escorted her over the mines — or at least 
all the places where he thought she might be safe 
to go and escape criticism from her sisters. But 
this he learned was not to be done, because she 
informed him that her sisters would be angry with 
her for venturing anywhere near the mines at all, 


Children of Destiny. 31 

if she would but be kind enough to mention the 
fact to them, which she declared she would not 
do. 

But regardless of the fact that the mines were 
'^forbidden fruit/^ she enjoyed the ‘inspection/’ as 
she termed it, very much. Her curiosity was un- 
usual in a young lady, for, as a rule, women care 
little about men’s work — or at least feminine 
women. Those unfortunate creatures termed 
“masculine women,” of course, are very curious 
about men’s affairs, if they see any chance of imi- 
tating the same, and thus lose their femininity 
and former charms. 

“I at least have one thing that I can boast of, 
and that is curiosity,” she said to Grant by way 
of apology. But Grant, looking down at her as 
she stood, holding her skirt out of the coal-dust 
at the mouth of the hole, with her hat pulled low 
over her eyes, and flipping a speck off her riding 
skirt with her riding-whip, thought that she had 
other, more charming, characteristics. 

“If I should ever be so fortunate as to find a 
woman I could really love and marry,” said Grant, 
“I would wish her, among other things, to take 
an interest in my work. That would make the 
work just that much pleasanter.” 

“But what if it were her nature not to take an 
interest in what you do?” 

“Oh, I don’t suppose I would let a little fault 
like that separate us. My nature is just this: 
When I love a woman truly, I am blind to all her 
faults and quick to see her virtues.” 

“So is all true love.” 

Meanwhile McCain, from the post-office, had 


32 Children of Destiny. 

noticed her horse standing before the gate, and he 
came ont just as the ^^inspection’^ was completed, 
and they were returning down the hill. 

am learning a great deal now, Mr. McCain,^’ 
announced Miriam. ^‘1 think that in a short while 
I can operate one of your big engines — if Mr. 
Grant would only trust me not to blow up the 
mines.” 

^‘Are you thinking of going into the mining 
business. Miss Miriam?” 

'Gf I continue taking lessons from Mr. Grant 
and yourself, it will not be long before I will be 
competent to perform Mr. Grant’s duties. But 
it is getting late, and I must return home — unless 
Mr. McCain will go riding with me, and see that 
I get safe home?” 

^^Oh, I will ride a while with you,” said McCain. 
The poet had something to tell her, and he 
knew of no better time than this. He could not 
hold out any longer against the feeling within him, 
and though he knew that upon her answer de- 
pended his future happiness, he was so tossed 
about with fears that he had decided to speak and 
learn his fate. 

While McCain and Grant were standing by the 
gate talking to her, Hamilton and Collins came 
up from their work in the mines. As they were 
both covered with coal-dust and grime, they did 
not stop, but passed through the gate and on to 
the bathroom. There was a fixed look of determi- 
nation on Hamilton’s face as he raised his wide 
Panama hat, more as if assisting at some church 
function than merely saluting a lady acquaintance. 
Once upon a time Hamilton had been much in 


Children of Destiny. 33 

society; but now he could not help feeling a lit- 
tle unsafe as to whether he was exactly in trim 
for them when he ventured near. A great deal of 
this bashfulness had worn off since he had been at 
Maraquapez. In the society of the Senorita Inez 
and the pleasant daughters of the American cof- 
fee planter, he was made to feel at ease. 


34 


Children of Destiny. 


CHAPTER V. 

^^McCain" seems to ^have it bad/ remarked 
Hamilton, as he sat down to supper with Grant 
and Collins. 

^^His manner betrays that fact,” replied Grant, 
as his eyes rested for a moment upon a chart that 
hung upon the wall. ^^And McCain doesn’t seem 
to be the only one. If I were so disposed, I might 
mention the name of some other person that could 
be so accused.” 

^^Here, Maloney, these eggs are not fried as I 
want them!” Hamilton hurriedly exclaimed to 
the cook. But the other two were allied against 
him, and the poor fellow was doomed to suffer. 

Hamilton of late had been going often to town 
— ^to hear the band play, as he carefully explained 
to Grant and Collins — but in reality to call on 
the Sehorita Inez. Grant and Collins had 
‘^smelled a rat,” but they said nothing to the 
foreman, and awaited events. 

So matters went on until one night they — quite 
accidentally, of course — caught up with him and 
learned why of late he had cultivated such a taste 
for music — it could not have been natural with 
him, for he had often during the first of the year, 
stated his dislike of anything musical. 

They had ridden over to San Samanca purpose- 
ly to hear the music, and while strolling about 
the Plaza were surprised to see Hamilton there 


Children of Destiny. 35 

with the Sehorita Inez. The couple were seated 
upon a bench in the light of the street lamp, and 
were apparently very much more interested in 
each other than the music. 

Afterward Hamilton was the recipient of much 
jesting when the party sat down together at meal 
time or congregated after supper on the little 
veranda. 

Although of a different nationality, the seno- 
rita was a pretty and intelligent girl. On the 
other hand, Hamilton was a square- jawed, de- 
termined young fellow, like Grant. He was not 
altogether a bad looking fellow either; was true 
American, and the sort of fellow that captivates 
the fair sex in foreign countries. 

^^What other person do you refer to?’^ Collins 
inquired, smiling grimly. 

‘^One friend of ours, by name called Frank 
Hamilton.^^ 

^^Oh, I say, boys, IVe told you that I am not 
crazy over the girl. I like her well enough — ^it 
does a rough fellow like me lots of good to as- 
sociate with a nice intelligent girl like her/^ 

‘‘You seem to think that it does you lots of 
good, judging from the frequency of your visits,” 
remarked Grant. 

“ITl bet that isn’t a part of the nice compli- 
ments he pays her when they are alone,” added 
Collins. ‘^Say, Frank, do you make love in Span- 
ish or English?” 

“See here; you fellows carry the joke too far. 
Suppose the sehorita should get hold of all this 
talk? She’d think I had been ‘felling tales out 
of school.’ ” 


36 Children of Destiny. 

“Don’t be at all uneasy,” assured Collins, 
envy you your luck— the sehorita is not a 
^bad one/ 

But Hamilton had strolled away, whistling ‘‘Go 
Vay back and sit down/^ which was his usual 
method of dismissing the subject. 

A few moments later he rejoined them in the 
office, arrayed in spotless white duck, and boldly 
announced his intention of going up to the city. 

‘^What for?” Collins asked laconically. 

^^None of your business, if you are anxious to 
know,” Hamilton returned testily. 

^^Oh, well, donH get angry. I know how it is. 
I have been all along there, and I heartily sym- 
pathize with you, my son.” Hamilton would not 
stay for any further remarks, but rushed out of 
the door. 

^^Get back here by morning,^^ Collins called 
after him; will need you to help me with that 
new drill, and, say, kindly give the sehorita my 
best regards.” 

‘^Confound them,” Hamilton muttered to him- 
self, ^hf they keep on I’ll get mad and marry 
the girl just to have done with their infernal 
foolishness.” 

While he was riding along and whistling soft- 
ly to himself, and seriously considering the above 
proposition, it suddenly occurred to him that a 
thunder cloud had spread quickly over the hori- 
zon and shaded the moon from view. It was also 
evident that if he did not race for some farmhouse 
or other place of shelter, he would be exposed to 
the mercy of the elements. 

So he gathered up his reins and spurred his 


Children of Destiny. 37 

horse to a gallop. It was fully a mile to the next 
house, and though that was only an old Indian 
cabin, it would b^e much safer than the woods in 
a thunder storm. 

The clouds gathered thick and fast, and the 
thunder rolled. Vivid flashes of lightning blinded 
him until his eyes became used to the glare, when 
he was suddenly aware that his horse had left the 
road, and he was lost beyond the shadow of a 
doubt ! Lost in the dense forest in a part of the 
country he knew nothing of, with a heavy thun- 
der storm fast approaching. 

Hamilton dismounted, and leaving his horse 
standing in his tracks, crawled about on his hands 
and knees, feeling for the wagon ruts of the road 
and taking advantage of every flash of lightning 
to make a sweeping glance about him. It was too 
dark to see anything. 

His search for the road proved a failure. A 
prolonged play of lightning revealed his horse 
standing about twenty feet away. Suddenly there 
came an unusually sharp clap of thunder, and 
the animal becoming frightened, dashed away 
through the woods at full speed. 

Hamilton was a very unromantic chap, and 
at this moment he could not suppress, even with 
God manifesting His power about him, an ex- 
pression of ^^Damn it!^’ — which was intended to 
include both the horse and the situation. 

As the horse was gone, he could do nothing bet- 
ter than to turn his mind to the situation. The 
latter was certainly not a matter to joke about. 
He was alone and lost in a dense jungle, with a 
thunder storm right on him. He did not know 


38 Children of Destiny. 

which direction to take in order to reach the near- 
est habitation. All he could do was to stumble 
on in the hope of reaching some sort of a shelter 
before the dead trees began to fall. If he could 
only find a cave, which he knew to be numerous in 
the mountain regions — or even an open place in the 
woods, he would have nothing to fear but stray 
limbs borne along by the force of the wind. But 
as he would have to fall into the mouth of a cave 
to discover one in the darkness, and an open place 
was infrequent, he did not live in much hope of 
these. 

Just as the storm introduced itself by a few 
large drops of rain and a cooling gust of wind, 
Hamilton was conscious of a faint light about a 
hundred yards ahead, that shone through the trees 
like a little star of hope. He pushed on toward 
it, stumbling over fallen trees, tearing through 
thick clusters of undergrowth, and sometimes even 
running directly against a standing tree. 

When Hamilton ran up near the light, he ob- 
served that it was shining through a crack in the 
walls of an old temple that had been built years 
before by the old pagan Indians. Although a 
rough piece of architecture, the temple had proved 
its stability by the number of years it had breasted 
the elements, and, although crumbling in places, 
was still standing almost as entire as ever. Ham- 
ilton remembered having seen this old temple be- 
fore, though he knew nothing of its locality ex- 
cept that it was situated in the wildest region of 
the country. He had known that it was in- 
habited only by bats and wild animals, as it was 
a common belief among the natives that it was 


Children of Destiny. 39 

the rendezvous of the spirits of the old Indians 
that had worshipped beneath its roof. Some of 
the Indians stated that they had seen lights, just 
as Hamilton did then, gleaming through the 
cracks in the wall, and no Indian or Meztiso could 
be bribed to go within. The fear of wild animals, 
coupled with this ghost tale, had kept the whites 
from ever exploring the old temple. 

Hamilton silently acknowledged to himself that 
he was up against a serious proposition. He was 
not superstitious, although there was something 
uncanny about the appearance of the light at this 
time and kind of night that made him feel a lit- 
tle awed. But he was afraid to venture into the 
dark and crumbling ruins, where all kinds of wild 
and fierce animals, reptiles and poisonous insects 
were known to swarm. 

So he stood for a moment at the torn-down en- 
trance door and debated the question. Although 
the temple had stood a great many years, it might 
fall at any moment, he thought. The walls were 
still standing, apparently as firm as ever, but so 
compactly was the house put together it was des- 
tined, like the ‘one horse shay,^ to fall to pieces 
all in a heap, beneath which a person would have 
no more chance of escape than beneath a Kocky 
Mountain land slide. 

Hamilton took a long survey of the great mass 
of black clouds that were moving swiftly toward 
him. In a moment the storm would be upon him. 
The thunder burst into loud peals just over- 
head, and rumbling about the heavens, died away 
in the distance, while the quick, continued fiashes 


40 Children of Destiny, 

of lightning showed the swaying of the branches 
above. 

Just then the vanguard of the storm swept by, 
and a great tree falling near, decided Hamilton 
to seek shelter in the old temple where he would 
at least be secure from the rain storm that was 
sure to follow. 


Children of Destiny. 


41 


CHAPTEE VI. 

Hamilton stepped boldly into the entrance, and 
after securing a strong foothold, peered into the 
gloom to see if the fiery eyes of any wild animal 
were shining in the passageway. Seeing nothing 
but impenetrable darkness, he walked cautiously 
forward. 

He first took the precaution, however, to draw 
one of his revolvers and cock it — ready for in- 
stant use. He silently thanked himself for his 
forethought in bringing the weapons along. 

He proceeded slowly. The stones used for the 
ground fioor had been loosely laid together. Some 
were uneven and in places removed. He was 
afraid that if he rushed on too fast he might pre- 
cipitate himself head-foremost against the fioor, 
or bump against some rough angle of the wall. 
Besides he was nervous as he thought of what 
might be in a corridor ready to spring upon him. 
Out in the open, where there was plenty of light, 
he would not have been afraid. Back in the days 
when he was a Texas cowboy no one on the ranch 
was as handy with a revolver as he. 

In the entrance corridor he was safe from the 
storm as it was, unless the old building suddenly 
tumbled down upon him. 

Outside the storm was raging in all its glory, 
and those who know will acknowledge that a Cen- 


42 


Children of Destiny. 

tral American storm is not a joke or the parody 
of a storm, — and Maraqnapez lay in the great 
storm region, too. 

Hamilton suddenly conceived an idea that he 
would like to see who was in the temple above and 
what was going on. He argued that it must have 
been some person, as a light was burning, and that 
they had frightened all the ferocious animals out of 
the building. He was not like the Indians in re- 
spect to lights. It was his opinion that where 
there was a light there was bound to be something 
human. Probably it was his opinion that phan- 
toms would not afford an expenditure for oil or 
candles when they did not need them and looked 
so much prettier in the dark. 

At any rate, he proceeded on down the corri- 
dor until he came to another corridor running at 
right angles to the one he first entered. At the 
corner he halted and looked up and down the one 
he had just entered. At one end he saw the light 
gleaming down a rickety staircase against the op- 
posite wall of the corridor, and in this direction 
he continued. Arriving at the foot of the stairs, he 
halted and stood for a moment, considering how 
to act. 

He could see that the light proceeded from an 
open door about five feet beyond the head of the 
stairs, and from that room came also the sound 
of a voice, which was partly drowned by the roar- 
ing of the storm outside. Hamilton was no 
coward, but the ghostly sound of the voice for a 
moment made him decide to go back and let the 
mystery go unexplained. Then he remarked brave- 
ly to himself that as ghosts were but the produc- 


Children of Destiny. 43 

tion—created solely from the minds of half-fool- 
ish people — of the imagination, he would have 
nothing to fear but human or animals, and as he 
had fought these often before, he was not afraid 
to have another encounter with them, if it be- 
came necessary. 

But he was not so foolish as to rush boldly in 
pd face the results of such an act. Without mak- 
ing a particle of noise, he placed his foot upon the 
stairs, pressed, and finding them to be safe^* stole 
quietly up them and took his position to one side 
of the open doorway. Quietly removing his hat, 
he peered around the jagged side of the door, and 
at one glance understood the state of affairs. 

The room was a long hall, with a platform at 
the far end, and it reminded him of the old school 
house where he had received his first knowledge, 
back in the States. Upon this platform stood the 
figure of an idol — a curiously-carved god that 
had been worshipped by the Indians in the tem- 
plets youthful days. It was the supposed figure 
of a giant man — or a part man, for the lower part 
of the figure was carved into an indistinct mass, 
assuming no human shape or form. The figure 
had but one eye, and what surprised Hamilton 
the most was that it really was an eye, and that 
the lips were moving in a slow chanting tone of 
speech. Bowing before this figure in even 
lines, like soldiers, was a great horde of the native 
Indians, dressed and painted in grotesque cos- 
tumes and inhuman features — and great spots 
of paint had been scattered on the face of the idol. 
The foolish Indians were bowed down with their 
faces to the floor, like a pious Mohammedan be- 


44 Children of Destiny. 

fore his shrine, and no Arab^s African slave conld 
have been more humble toward their master than 
they were to the god. 

Hamilton’s practical mind was not long in de- 
ciding that some person was practicing a deception 
on the superstitious Indians, and he even fancied 
that the voice of the man in the idol was familiar 
to him. 

But what surprised him most was the fact that 
the Indians had been worshipping their idols so 
secretly that no one among the whites had known 
anything about it. He now understood why they 
had spread the report that the temple was haunted, 
and he confessed to himself that they were as sharp 
a people as the Indians back in the States, and 
though the story of the lights seen through the 
cracks in the building was quite true, they had 
taken the light there themselves. In a desire to 
ferret out this mystery and learn who was the 
idol, if that could be accomplished without mak- 
ing the fact of his presence in the temple known 
to any one, Hamilton forgot the storm and stud- 
ied the situation. He observed that at the farther 
end of the hall, and just behind the idol, there 
was a little door, and he thought that if he could 
but reach the room into which that door opened 
he might be able to slip into the large room un- 
observed and hide behind the statue. He would 
then be in the rear of the man in the idol, and, as 
the Indians were bowed down in reverence with 
their faces to the floor, they would not be likely 
to see him, as for a moment he would be ex- 
posed while slipping from the little door to the 
rear of the statue. 


Children of Destiny. 45 

He noticed that a corridor ran along the end 
of the room where he was standing, and that at 
the corner of the room on the exterior side, of 
course, this corridor connected with another run- 
ning at right angles and bounding the left side 
of the room, facing the statue. 

He stole softly along this route, and was glad 
when he found that the last-named corridor 
opened into the room at the farther end of the 
worshipping room. Into this room he glided as 
quietly as one of Nick Carter’s assistant detec- 
tives, and a moment later was standing just to 
one side of the open door behind the statue. An- 
other glance at the room informed him that his 
plans could be carried through safely, and si- 
lently he passed into the assembly room and seated 
himself behind the statue, where he could see and 
hear all that was going on without being seen 
himself. Having made this move in safety, he 
laid both revolvers at his feet and listened at- 
tentively to what the voice in the idol was say- 
ing. 

‘^Why do they come down here to rob you of 
the wealth that is truly yours?” said the voice; 
‘^the wealth that was your fathers, and your 
fathers’ fathers? Do you go to their country 
and rob them of their wealth? No! But they 
come here and dig up your land and take your 
minerals. They buy your land for a trifle from 
traitors at the capital and make themselves rich 
off of your wealth, while you stand by and say 
nothing. They sit in the shade and do nothing, 
while you, fools that you are, work like dogs in the 
hot and get nothing for it but enough to live 


46 Children of Destiny. 

upon. They live like kings upon the bread and 
the wine that yon have made for them, while you, 
like curs, eat the crust that they throw to you. 

‘^Once there was a great people that dwelt upon 
your land. They fought the foreigners and drove 
them from their shore, and when their numbers 
were not strong enough to fight them in the open 
field, they drove their daggers into them as they 
slept and threw their bodies to the alligators in the 
lakes. But those were noble men. The gods 
loved them for their bravery and gave them plenty. 
But they are dead and you — ^you, like the cow- 
ardly dogs that you are, lick the hand that smites 
you 

The idol paused. Hamilton tried to remember 
who was the owner of the voice, but failed utterly. 
But from around the edges of the idol he could 
make out the identity of some of the Indians, even 
through their paint, and was not surprised to 
notice in the group some of the most rebellious of 
the native workmen at the mines. In the front 
row he saw the three most troublesome and the 
three richest of the Indians — Paoquaz, Roderigo 
and San Miguel. The latter stepped forth at the 
voice’s last words and said: 

am ready — my people are not women. Whom 
dp the gods will I should strike first?” 

^^Go back and bow your face again to the ground. 
You are brave, but you are not wise ; but the gods 
are glad that there is one among your number 
who is valiant and ready to strike; for the gods 
have been angry. Your brothers in the North 
have struck, and also your brothers in the South. 
But you — ^you have been idle.” 


Children of Destiny. 47 

are ready!” the kneeling Indians shouted 
in chorus. 

‘^The gods are glad. To-morrow Paoquaz, Rod- 
erigo and San Miguel will go to the President and 
tell him how you have been abused by these Ameri- 
cans. Tell him how you have been kicked and 
cuffed, and borne it all. Tell him that if he will 
send his army and run them out of the country, 
and the whites rise against him, that you will 
stand by him to the last. Then upon the day fol- 
lowing, just after the big parade, you will march — 
every man of your race — up to the reviewing stand 
and remind the President of his past good services 
and offer him in the name of your people, the 
dictatorship of all Maraquapez. And if the white 
people rebel at this, you will stand by the Presi- 
dent. The gods will soften the heart of the Presi- 
dent for you, and though he may not promise 
anything at first, he will do as you desire if you 
make him dictator. Two weeks from to-day he 
will send his army down and wipe out the Ameri- 
cans — if you will be brave and fight them your- 
selves. — Will you do this?” 

^‘We will!” they shouted together. 

^^Then the gods are pleased. But come no more 
to this temple until you have smote the Ameri- 
cans, and if you do not do this, and stand by the 
President and ask him to be dictator, the gods 
will come and stretch their hands over your peo- 
ple, and the fever will seize them, and they will all 
die. The gods have spoken.” 

Just at that moment another God had a little 
to say, and His say caused great confusion. A 
heavy gust of wind blew through the corridor and 


48 Children of Destiny. 

open door into the room. The wind came so sud- 
denly and forcibly that it upset the statue, but 
happily not upon the American hidden behind it. 
It fell to one side, and Hamilton fell quickly with 
it, to escape detection, and with an eye peering 
over the neck watched developments. 

The Indians all made a rush for the door when 
they became convinced that the statue had fallen. 
They jammed each other out, and in a very short 
while Hamilton heard the footfalls of the last one 
running from the building. 

At the same time he noticed that the person in 
the idol was coming out, and determining to cap- 
ture this one, he waited with pistol in hand. 
What was his surprise to find that it was Laredo, 
President of Maraquapez ! 


Children of Destiny. 


49 


CHAPTER VII. 

At the same moment, his quick eye took in an- 
other fact by following the Presidents fixed look 
into the middle of the room. A ferocious Jaguar 
was standing Just where the Indians had a mo- 
ment before bowed their head in reverence to the 
supposed god, and by his attitude, Hamilton knew 
that he was about to spring upon Laredo. The 
lamp had by some miraculous means managed to 
stay lit in spite of the wind, and for a moment 
Laredo and the beast stared at each other — the 
one in awe and the other in anger and with a de- 
sire for vengeance — vengeance for the death of 
her young one which had been killed by a falling 
tree outside. 

‘Tf I let the tiger spring, that man’s career is 
ended and we will be let alone hereafter,” thought 
Hamilton. 

But the good in him prevailed Just at the last 
moment. As the Jaguar leaped into the air, the 
former cowboy raised his weapon and fired, and 
the beast lay quivering in the throes of death at 
the President’s feet. 

The President, who had lain too frightened to 
move, sprang to his feet and turned on his res- 
cuer. 

"You ?” he cried, frightened that Hamilton may 


50 Children of Destiny. 

have heard and seen all the preceding occurrences. 
But his self-possession returned as he thought that 
perhaps he had only arrived on the scene at that 
moment. Indeed, he was quite certain that he 
would have seen Hamilton had he been in the room 
when he was acting the part of an incensed god. 
'‘I thank you, senor.” 

^^Don^t thank me,^^ said Hamilton; ^^thank my 
mother for her lessons to me back in God’s country. 
Thank her for teaching me to ‘do unto others 
as I would have them do unto me.’ It isn’t be- 
cause you are plotting to ruin and perhaps mur- 
der me and my friends that I saved your life.” 

“Where were you when I was in the idol ?” La- 
redo asked gruffly. 

“I was near enough to stab you to the heart 
without being seen or heard,” Hamilton replied. 

“You have heard all that has passed, then. You 
have fair warning to leave.” 

“The country I am proud to call my birth- 
place,” said Hamilton, “once fought a long and 
bloody war with a nation much her superior in 
population and armament, and triumphed. That 
country was many hundred years old then, and 
was at least a hundred times larger than your 
own. We have grown since then in both size and 
population. We employ more men, just to fight 
our battles than you have population. You are 
not fighting a few American colonists down here — 
you are fighting that great nation known as the 
United States, and her vengeance is swift and 
sure.” 

“You talk well, but you little know the person 
you are speaking to. When I have once sworn 


Children of Destiny. 51 

anything I never get frightened at threats. I 
have sworn/’ 

^^Sworn to the devil ! What if I go to those mis- 
gnided wretches and tell them how yon have de- 
ceived them, and caused them to believe they were 
being guided by a god ! What if I tell them that . 
your double ambitious object is to make yourself 
an absolute ruler of this country, and get rid of 
men that you have made your enemies at the 
same time ! Do you think they will believe the 
Americans to be their enemies then, or the man 
who is scheming to make them his slaves ?” 

^^Tell them what you wish. You are greatly 
mistaken if you think they will accept your word 
in preference to mine.” 

Hamilton was silent a moment. He knew that 
the villain had spoken truly, and that the Indians 
would side with Laredo. 

^^Your career up yonder at the capital of this 
State ought to have made them acquainted with 
your character sufficient not to trust your word 
for anything.” 

'^And then a Central American never forgets 
a blow that has been struck him.” 

^^Who has struck them? If you prove that any 
American at the mines has struck an Indian a 
single blow, you may take this Smith & Wesson 
revolver in my hand and blow my brains out with 
it.” 

^^There are two ways of striking my country- 
men,” said the President. 

feel like striking you one of those ways,” 
said Hamilton, ^^a good one just behind the left 
ear.” 


52 Children of Destiny. 

During this discussion Hamilton had held the 
muzzle of his revolver pointing toward Laredo, 
but now in his just anger he unwisely dropped the 
muzzle so that it pointed toward the floor in- 
stead. 

That was the chance Laredo had been waiting 
for. Were this man dead before given a chance to 
leave the building everything would be just as 
it was before he came upon the scene. And if 
he were not killed all of his dark schemes would 
be frustrated, .and he, Laredo, would be forcibly 
thrust from the office that he already held, and 
doubtless thrown into prison. Laredo had as lit- 
tle gratitude as any person on the globe, and as 
little regard for the life of others. Such a deed 
as murdering the American for his own private 
gain would cause him but little uneasiness after- 
ward, nor any remorse of conscience. 

When he saw Hamilton lower his revolver, he 
ducked his head and made a lunge for the young 
American’s knees. He struck Hamilton’s thigh 
with his shoulder as if he were making a tackle 
in a football game instead of an attempt upon 
his captor’s life, and the force of the blow, coupled 
with its unexpectedness, carried the assaulted man 
back a step or two. He had almost regained his 
balance and would have soon had the President in 
his power again, had he not suddenly tripped on 
an uneven stone and fell backward. In his fall 
Hamilton’s head struck against a jagged edge of 
the idol and he was knocked unconscious. 

Laredo sprang upon him as a tiger upon his 
prey and raised a glittering knife high above his 
head to strike. Before it could descend, how- 


Children of Destiny 53 

ever, a strong hand from behind caught his wrist 
in a vise-like grip, and the knife was twisted from 
his hand. 

^^You are a most pleasant and interesting gen- 
tleman, and moreover an excellent murderer, Mr. 
President,^’ Grant remarked as he pushed the 
President into a comer, covered him with his 
revolver, and placed his foot on the knife — ^all 
at the same time. “To witness what has just oc- 
curred, one would think that you are so kind- 
hearted as to wish to save your hangman unpleas- 
ant duties. Will you kindly be seated on that 
stone — it’s the best I can offer you right now — 
and Mr. Hamilton will kindly entertain us with 
an account of all that has happened since he last 
saw me.” 

Laredo did as commanded, and Hamilton, who 
had recovered from the stunning blow received 
on the idol, also sat down by the side of Grant 
on the fallen image and told all that he had seen 
and heard in the temple. But before doing this 
he eyed the President from head to foot, and 
after expending some profanity, told him that 
he was of a mind to jump on him and give him a 
good American whipping. 

“Oh, let him alone and tell your story,” said 
Grant; “don’t strike a fallen enemy, anyway.” 

“Put up your gun and let us have a round,” 
said Hamilton; “I’ll fight him all night before 
I’ll have him going about telling that he got the 
best of an American.” 

Grant had to tell him again to tell his story 
before he would do so. He finally told his chief 
all about the affair. Grant exhibited no signs 


54 Children of Destiny. 

of emotion during the recital When Hamilton 
concluded he shook his head. 

^‘Your Excellency is to be complimented upon 
your shrewdness in committing, or attempting to 
commit, a murder, but I can call your Excellency’s 
attention to one little circumstance you omitted 
in this latter attempt, and which you will find 
beficial if you continue in that role. Always look 
around to see if any one is looking when you have 
decided to murder any one. But, as I have prob- 
ably before remarked, you are an excellent gen- 
tleman, your Excellency, and make quite a good 
President; but I know another who can play his 
part quite as well. 

^^We all have our little ambitions, your Excel- 
lency. I have mine — it is to be a successful busi- 
ness man. I will still be kinder — I will tell you 
yours. Your ambition is to be made dictator of 
Maraquapez through the assistance of your pa- 
gan friends, who have been kind eough to be- 
lieve everything you have told them through the 
mouth of this idol. The man who is an excel- 
lent President like yourself is named McCain, and 
as he is a particular friend of mine, I am sure 
he will permit me to thank you in his name if 
you will grant him the pleasure of being Presi- 
dent in your stead for a few days. Meanwhile 
you may come and reside with us — we will reserve 
the basement for your especial accommodation. 
Only for a few days, your Excellency — only for a 
few days.” 


Children of Destiny. 


55 


CHAPTER VIII. 

has been some time since I last saw yon,” 
McCain remarked, as he rode away with Miriam, 
that afternoon. 

^^Yes,” she replied, ^^and I think yon shonld 
make np for the neglect by going with me to the 
lake.” 

‘‘Bnt it is getting late,” said McCain, glancing 
at the departing snn ; ^Von^t yonr sisters be 
angry?” 

‘‘We need not be gone long. My sisters will be 
angry anyway, when they learn that I have dis- 
obeyed them and gone to the mines.” 

“Yonr plea is that since yon have broken one 
commandment, yon might as well break them all, is 
it? Well, since yon wish it, and are not afraid 
of the conseqnence, I will go with yon. Yon yonr- 
self know that it will be a great pleasnre to me, 
bnt I wonld deny myself that pleasnre rather than 
assist yon to tronble.” 

“Oh, I will not get into tronble, or at least 
more than my ride is worth; and if I do, I can- 
not blame yon, yon know, since I proposed the 
ride. I don^t see why papa and the girls oppose 
my taking horseback rides, when they know that 
I love nothing better.” 

“It is not your riding they oppose, but the 


56 Children of Destiny. 

propriety of your being alone, or alone with a 
younsr man/' 

^^They should not object to that, since no one 
wants to hurt me, and I do not ride alone with 
any young men but yourself and Mr. Grant, and 
you are good friends of the family, are you not ?" 

McCain agreed that they were wrong — he could 
not say any more — and very abruptly changed the 
subject. He only wished that he had that much 
faith in the world and the races of people that 
inhabited it. He wished that he had even the 
faith and confidence in the world that he had when 
a boy— provided that^ world would make itself 
worthy of that much faith and confidence. 

In about half an hour the two drew rein on the 
grassy beach of the little lake, and stood in silence 
a moment watching the moonlight on the still 
water and the alligators floating upon its surface. 
In the forest at their back, they could hear a drove 
of monkeys chattering in anger at being dis- 
turbed, and a long-necked crane quawked on the 
opposite shore. 

^^This scene reminds me of a similar one I wit- 
nessed on the Congo, when I once was foolish 
enough to go into the wilds of Africa on a hunt- 
ing expedition with a party of English gentle- 
men," remarked McCain, ^^but I saw the same 
scene much too often. It was a great deal more 
suggestive of danger than this, because, besides 
alligators, we had rhinoceros in the river, and 
we could hear the roaring of the lion and tiger 
in the jungles, and the bellowing of elephants 
and screaming of wild cats." 

"'Oh, how interesting! I did not know that 


Children of Destiny. 57 

you had hunted in Africa. Begin at the first and 
tell me all about it/^ 

^‘Well, there is not much to relate. I met the 
party who were going, in London. They invited 
me to join them, and being sort of a reckless fel- 
low, I accepted. Had I known the outcome of 
the affair then, I would have certainly gone else- 
where, but not knowing, and anticipating a great 
time, I went along. I was not badly injured, but 
I did not enjoy the hunting much, and when we 
got back to London there was not a single one of 
us but could show a scar. I got mine from a fierce 
old jungle tiger. The beast paid us a visit while 
we were sitting around the camp-fire eating sup- 
per, and as she was not in the best of humors, 
having been wounded by one of the party in the 
hunt that day, she made things lively while it 
lasted. She scarred two of the men up pretty 
badly, and gave me a rake upon the arm before 
she was killed. As luck would have it, my pistol 
was lying near, and I managed to shoot her be- 
fore she damaged me up badly. But this scene re- 
calls our unpleasant journey down the river on 
our return trip. I lay groaning all night with a 
fever just such nights as these.” 

^^How dreadful ! Did any of the party die of 
the fever, or get killed?” 

‘^No; we managed to escape death, and I have 
had a great deal of faith in destiny ever since. 
But just look ! A storm is coming — we must race 
for home.” 

^^What a pity !” exclaimed Miriam, as if a storm 
was quite a usual occurrence and nothing to ever 
be frightened at; ^^and I wanted to hear more of 


58 Children of Destiny. 

your adventures. But we must hurry home. 
Papa will be very uneasy.^^ 

‘^Yes, and we will have to go at full speed,” said 
McCain as they turned their horses’ heads home- 
ward. '^'When the cloud passes between us and 
the moon, it will be pitchy dark.” 

But ride as they might, the cloud beat them, 
and hid the moon. Then, as McCain had said, it 
became very dark, and, as he had feared, they 
soon wandered from the road and lost themselves. 
He did not inform Miriam of this fact at first, 
but she soon guessed it. 

‘^Haven’t we left the road, Mr. McCain?” she 
asked, from behind. 

^‘Do not be frightened. Miss Miriam, but I fear 
we have. But this country is very thickly inhabited 
around here, I think, and we will soon stumble 
across some habitation.” 

Miriam said nothing. She was a little frightened 
at the approaching storm, but she had implicit 
confidence in her escort, and could steel herself 
so as not to become very excited in the time of 
danger. 

McCain feared only for her. She had grown 
to be the center of his thoughts of late, and he 
loved her with that sort of an affection that never 
dies — an affection often spoken of in novels, but 
rarely seen in real life, and when seen, often re- 
ferred to as the ravings of a man partly insane. 
He really felt that he would not hesitate, if the 
moment were to come when he could save her 
life by giving hi« own, but would instantly make 
that sacrifice as proof of his devotion. What 
mortal could do more ? 


Children of Destiny. 59 

'^Let me tie my hitch rein to your horse so that 
we will not become separated/^ he said, drawing 
rein and waiting for her to ride np to his side. 
As she came np a flash of lightning revealed her 
features a moment, and he saw there the face of 
the woman — calm, beautiful and radiant as an 
angel. A great hope of having this treasure all 
for his own surged through his breast and made 
him forget for the moment his present situation. 

Meanwhile the storm was fast approaching. The 
thunder came in sharp, prolonged peals and rolled 
about in the clouded heavens, while the lightning 
flashed and flickered in the western thunder 
clouds. The forerunner of the storm — ^the sud- 
den cool gust of wind — informed McCain of its 
nearness, and yet they had seen no sign of house 
or shelter from the danger of falling limbs. He 
racked his brain in an effort to think of some- 
thing he could do for the girl he loved. He knew 
that she was aware of the fact that in the forest 
where they were there was much danger of falling 
dead trees and rotten branches, but he could not 
run from that danger, because he did not know in 
which direction to run. 

Suddenly his horse stumbled and threw him to 
the ground, but happily feet foremost. He landed 
in a thick cluster of undergrowth, and was more 
frightened to notice that he did not stop here, 
but went on sinking until he was up to his neck in 
a hole in the ground. He had caught at the 
underbrush as he felt himself sinking, but his 
hand slipped and he sank a few inches farther 
down and felt his foot resting on a Arm founda- 
tion. 


60 Children of Destiny. 

Scrambling back out of the hole, McCain took 
a few steps in the direction of his horse and caught 
him by the reins again. 

^^What is the matter?’^ Miriam inquired. 
thought I heard you walking on the ground. It 
is so dark I can’t see you.” 

^^Nothing; only I fell off my horse and discov- 
ered a safe retreat from the storm.” 

^mat is it?” 

^^It is a sort of cave, I believe — a natural storm- 
hole. Do you want to go in ?” 

^^By all means !” exclaimed the girl, as a tree 
fell near her. ^^But our poor horses ! They will 
both be killed !” 

^^Sorry for the horses,” said McCain; ^^but I 
have more regard for my own person — and you — 
than all the horses in the world. You see the 
hole is not quite large enough to admit horses. 
Let me help you to dismount.” 

Miriam placed her little hands in his large ones 
and sprang lightly to the ground. McCain then 
cleared away the undergrowth growing at the 
mouth of the cave, and helped her into the hole. 
Sitting beneath, Miriam saw his stalwart figure by 
the flashes of lightning outlined above, but he 
stood motionless and did not seem to have any in- 
tention of going into the cave with her. 

^^Why, are you not coming?” she asked. 

will be all right up here,” he said. can see 
a tree before it falls in time to get away.” 

^^Well, if you are not coming, too, I am going 
back out there with you,” she said innocently; 
‘^you discovered this hole and have as much right 


Children of Destiny. 61 

to it as I. Besides, I am afraid to stay in here 
by myself.” And she started to clamber ont. 

‘^Oh, if you are afraid, Til go,” said McCain, 
and he sprang in beside her. ‘‘Let us go further 
back in the cave — ^we are not quite safe from the 
storm here.” 

Miriam complied, and taking her hand, he led 
her deep into the cave, where they could only 
hear a faint murmur to remind them that a fierce 
storm was raging without. 

McCain stumbled over a rock, and after feeling 
a while, he discovered that it made a perfect seat 
for two, and called her attention to the fact. She 
sat down, and he sat down by her — still retaining 
the little hand. 

“Miriam,” he said softly — “Miriam, I love you. 
Forgive me — I can^t hold it any longer. Since 
that day I first met you, when we stopped at your 
father’s house out of the storm, I have loved you. 
It is the great event of my life, and on your lips 
hangs my fate. 

“I have traveled in many countries, dearest, 
and seen many beautiful women, but I have seen 
none that will compare with you, because you are 
my ideal — the beginning and ending of all things 
with me. You may not understand what I wish 
you to understand. You have read in novels 
of men who would die for their beloved — make 
any sacrifice for them. You have probably never 
seen that exemplified in real life, and do not be- 
lieve it. You have never seen people who could 
bear the treatment of a dog and yet love the hand 
that strikes them. ^ You may not believe it, but 
my love is as strong as all that, and will outlast 


62 Children of Destiny. 

all time. Weigh well your answer, because on 
your words hangs my fate. Sweetheart, I love 
you.'' 

Miriam remained for a moment motionless be- 
fore speaking. Only her hand trembled occasion- 
ally in the larger palm of the man. 

‘‘I thank you, Mr. McCain," said the girl at 
last, ‘^for your regard for me. I sincerely appre- 
ciate it as an honor I am not worthy of. But 
my heart speaks for itself — I love another." 

Poor fellow! Then his destiny was not to be 
happy in her love, but to wander about the face 
of the globe, living a life ever ill at ease. Never 
had he known anything but disappointment. His 
heart, mind and all were wrapped up in the girl, 
and the blow was greater than any he had ever ex- 
pected to receive. 

‘T am very sorry," said Miriam after a silence of 
some moments. ‘T do not wish to trample on your 
affections, because I appreciate the regard of a 
noble gentleman like yourself. But the world is 
full of women, noble and better — much better 
than myself and who will make for you a much 
better wife. I am not just the girl you seem to 
think I am." 

^‘You are the sweetest girl in the world," said 
McCain as he raised the hand to his lips and im- 
printed a kiss upon the little fingers. ‘Tt was your 
sweet ways more than anything that made me 
your slave." 

^‘You are a talented young man with brilliant 
prospects. Continue your literary work and think 
of me only as a friend, because the time will come 


Children of Destiny. 63 

:when you will be glad that it has turned out so/’ 

^^Vhen could that be?” 

^^This is only a flame. You will meet your 
true love out in the world some day and you will 
laugh that you thought you loved me.” 

‘‘Never. Is it fair to ask who is it that you 
love ? Is it Grant ?” 

“I know it is a hopeless love,” sighed Miriam for 
answer. “But please for my sake do not hint that I 
love him. Will you promise?” 

“I promise,” sighed McCain. “He is a noble 
man, Miriam — much more worthy of you than I. 
He has a brighter future before him and since I do 
not get this treasure I hope it will fall to my 
friend — the honor of plucking the sweet flower. 
Follow the dictates of your own heart, little girl,” 
he sighed, “and God bless you !” It was well that he 
could not see the tear of sympathy in her eye, nor 
she the suppressed grief of his strong heart that 
beat and surged like the wild ocean. “I ask you 
to think kindly of me when I am gone away, for I 
have loved you above all the world and my love 
will last forever. And when you are in trouble 
send for me. It will not be a task to strive for 
your sake — it will be a pleasure, such as you would 
not realize. 

“Forgive me for all these rash words,” he added. 
“I am a poor worthless sort of fellow, but one 
given by God the power to love, as no man ever 
has or will. I will go and see if the storm is over 
now.” 

“He is worthy of any woman’s affections,” 
thought Miriam as she heard his firm footsteps 
echoing down the tunnel. 


64 Children of Destiny. 

Presently he returned and calling hei* name 
softly to find out where she was, said very quietly : 

am sorry, but a great tree has fallen across 
the mouth of the tunnel and we must go in search 
of the other end, if there is another/^ 


Children of Destiny. 


65 


CHAPTEB IX. 

Miriam arose meekly and took the hand of her 
guide again. She was too brave to give utterance 
of fear and yet was almost afraid to speak fearing 
that her voice would betray her anxiety and thus 
unman her protector. 

‘^Have you ever been in the tunnel before ?’’ she 
finally asked very quietly. 

‘‘I have not/’ replied McCain, ‘'but I am quite 
sure there is some other outlet. I have been in 
similar caves in this country and I always found 
there were two outlets.” He was cautious not to 
mention that there might be exceptions to the rule. 
“My belief is that this tunnel was dug out by hu- 
man hands. At any rate if there is no other out- 
let we can go back and dig the dirt away from 
under the tree and crawl out that way. We may 
be some time but we will finally succeed.” 

In his heart he murmured, “And if we die to- 
gether it will be with your dear voice murmuring 
in my ear.” 

But Miriam knew that he was only expressing all 
this to lift her up from giving away in despair, 
and she bore herself like the brave woman she was, 
without hinting in the least but that his words had 
given her hope or that she was really afraid that 
they were penned up in the mountain, far out of 
range of the voice of any living soul. 


66 Children of Destiny. 

Suddenly McCain, who was in the lead, stum- 
bled against the solid wall and feeling all around 
was finally forced to admit to himself that they 
were at the end of the tunnel. 

^^Well,^^ he said with a tinge of fear in his voice, 
^Ve are at the end of the tunnel. We must go 
back now and dig our way out at the other end.^^ 
am tired,^’ said Miriam. 

^'We must go back,” he exclaimed hurriedly, 
^^then you may rest. But I must go to work and 
dig our way out. If you can’t walk I must carry 
you.” 

can walk,” she said quietly. 

‘^Do not be alarmed,” he advised her as he re- 
membered that it was possible he had frightened 
her by his words. ^^It may be that we are in a 
tight fix, but you must be brave or I will have to 
give up in despair.” 

^‘1 will be brave,” she replied still in a trusting 
and hoping voice. Hardly had she spoken when 
McCain ran against another obstruction. It was 
a massive rock that had fallen behind them and 
proved itself to be a giant barrier against their 
ever returning to where they had entered the cave. 

He turned and clasped Miriam in his arms. 

'^Darling,” he said in a voice full of emotion, 
^^the destinies are against us — we must die. Let 
it be with my arm around you as it is and your 
little head upon my shoulder. Then like the Mo- 
hammedan who has journeyed far over the des- 
erts to reach his holy shrine, I can die happy 
Sweetheart, there is only one great happiness in 
life — the great oasis in the barren desert — love. 
True love, such as surges like a stormy sea in my 


Children of Destiny. 67 

heart for you. It makes the whole world kin. It 
makes a scorching desert seem a flower garden — a 
Persian garden of sweet roses.^^ 

^^Do you remember that poem I read to you 
once? You did not dream that I was speaking 
my heart to you then. It reads like this,” he 
continued, to keep her from thinking of the fate 
that awaited them. 


MY GUIDING LUMIN ABIES. 


Beautiful dreamy eyes! scintillating orbs! 

That guide me as the star that shone 
Resplendent in the East, and silent bade 
The wise men march to see the King 
Of all Jerusalem; and most puissant Prince 
Of all the world, only my brown stars. 

Proclaim my Queen, Empress of my heart! 

And ruler of my thought. She, whose form 
More beautiful than fair Helen; and whose face. 
Is sweeter than the rose, whose eyes, 

Dark scintillating venuses, are my hope. 

My distant stars — my destiny ! 


I gazed into them — only once; 

But deep down in them I sadly read 
My heart's history — short and brief — 
But plain — loving but not loved 
In return; affection wasted on the Qmen 
Of women — as chaff thrown to the wind. 
Is borne away and never more returns. 


68 Children of Destiny. 

Others 1 have thought I loved, hut that 
Was like a spark thrown out from 
The furnace of my heart; you control 
The consuming blaze of fiery love; 

They were hut slight pauses on my way 
To reach the shrine of love. The Shrine 
Is reached; you are my holy shrine. 

That face, that form, those dark eyes; 

But alas, I can only humitly kneel 
A worshipper, and gaze entranced 
Into the soul of thine own eyes 
That never yet has left me and never will^^ 

During the silence that fell upon the two, Mc- 
Cain felt he was not satisfied with his explorations 
at the end of the tunnel. It occurred to him that 
it was a very unusual thing for a long tunnel like 
that to end so abruptly. 

^^Let us go back and examine the end of the tun- 
nel again,” he said to the girl. “I may have been 
too frightened to make a good examination.” 

Miriam rose and went with him. Shewas as a toy 
in his hands. She had no suggestions to make 
and meekly obeyed him in everything. 

This time McCain felt over the whole wall at 
the end and even raised his hands above him for 
the top wall. Then he made the agreeable dis- 
covery that the tunnel did not end here but ex- 
tended straight up. The wall was too perpendicular 
to admit of their further progress, however, and 
McCain did not see that they had made anything 
by this discovery unless the tunnel had been dug 
by human hands and ended under some personas 
house. 


Children of Destiny. 69 

may be directly under some one’s house/’ 
he said to Miriam. ^^Get behind me and I will fire 
my revolver. If any one lives above us they will 
hear the report and come to find out the matter.” 

Allowing the revolver to rest lightly in his 
hands McCain turned in the direction they had 
come and after Miriam was safe fired down the 
cave. For a moment after there was no sound, save 
the crumbling of rocks where the bullfet had 
struck and the multitudinous echoes, far and 
near. Then he fired again. 

He was on the point of firing the fifth time 
when Miriam suddenly exclaimed: 

‘‘Look ! There is a light !” 


70 


Children of Destiny. 


CHAPTEE X. 

‘^Well, your Excellency/^ said Grant after a 
moment’s pause, ^^do you agree to give us the 
pleasure of trying our friend in the Presidential 
chair?” 

His Excellency, however, made no reply. He 
was thinking of some plan to thwart the schemes 
of the Americans, into whose hands he had so un- 
expectedly fallen. 

‘^Because if you do not,” continued Grant, ‘Ve 
shall be under the painful necessity of making 
him President by main American force and 
shrewdness — and I hope, Mr. President, you will 
pardon our conceit.” 

^^Oh, certainly,” said the President, thinking 
that if he granted his permission they would allow 
him to go free during the time, ^‘1 don’t mind his 
trying the office a short while, provided of course 
that I am permitted to enjoy my freedom in the 
meantime.” 

^^We can only grant you freedom, Mr. President, 
to go back and forth in an almost air-tight base- 
ment room in our house at the mines.” 

‘^Well, I have nothing further to say then ex- 
cept that you are committing the crime of high 
treason and that the punishment for such is 
deathi” 


Children of Destiny. 71 

'^Very well, we will risk it. Listen, wasn’t that 
a shot !” 

^^It was,” said the President hoping to frighten 
them ; ‘^my people are coming to rescue me.” 

‘^They have a poor way of going about it,” re- 
marked Hamilton. ^H^hat shot was fired under the 
temple.” 

^‘There must be a cellar,” said Grant, “and 
some one has fallen down there and can’t get out. 
As it is not necessary for any one to know that his 
Excellency is in our gentle hands, you may take 
him on to the house and lock him up, Frank, 
while I stay behind and help this poor man out of 
his scrape; — ^by the way, if his Excellency should 
make a break you may blow him to pieces and 
thus release the poor man from all his earthly 
cares and troubles, which I am sure are many. 
Oh, I forgot that you are lost. Take the direc- 
tion just on a bee line from this window and you 
will strike the road. Be careful ; the woods are full 
of people hunting for Miriam and McCain, who 
are lost — I haven’t time for explanations — and no 
one but Collins, Mr. Hempstead and Tom must see 
you. The moon is shining and you can see the 
road now when you get to it.” 

“All right, chief,” said Hamilton. “Get in front 
of me, you unholy looking god, and mind, if you 
raise so much as a corner of your ear I will shoot 
you as I used to shoot coyotes on the Texas plain 
and with this warning Hamilton put a hand upon 
the President’s shoulder and bade him proceed out 
of the building. 

Grant took the lantern and followed on behind 
until they reached the entrance corrider down- 


72 Children of Destiny. 

stairs. Then he searched for the cellar door after 
holding the light for Hamilton to get safely out 
in the moonshine with his prisoner. 

Grant passed on into the first room and stop- 
ping listened attentively for a third shot to give 
him the location of the room under which the imt- 
prisoned person lay. A third and fourth shot in 
quick succession gave him the desired information 
and he passed quickly into that room. By the lan- 
tern light he saw a hole where once a trap door had 
been and going up to this he threw the lantern 
rays into the hole below and halloed. 

^^Hello, is that you, Grant? Get us out of 
this hole, will you ? Have you a rope ?” 

^^Wait a moment and I will get my bridle reins,” 
said Grant, not waiting for any explanation of the 
strange occurrence. 

He soon returned with the reins — one end of 
which he dropped into the hole. 

^^Let Miriam come first,” he said, ^‘1 can lift 
her.” 

McCain tied the rope around her waist and 
Grant lifted the light burden up with apparent 
ease. Then the reins were made fast above and 
McCain climbed up hand over hand. 

^^Where are we?” Miriam inquired with a deep- 
drawn sigh of relief and glanced around her at the 
bare crumbling walls. 

^^We are in the ruins of an old temple out in 
the mountains,” replied Grant, ^"and if you don’t 
mind telling me I would like to have you two ex- 
plain what you are doing out in the bosom of a 
mountain at midnight on a stormy night.” 

''Easily explained/’ said McCain^ "but first let 


Children of Destiny. 73 

US start home and we will tell you on the way. 
Mr. Hempstead and the girls will be frightened.’^ 

^^Well, I should like to know who has not been/’ 
exclaimed Grant, ^^and who wouldn’t be. There is 
a full score of people searching the mountains for 
you now. Where are your horses ?” 

haven’t the least idea. We left them some- 
where, but I’ll be hanged if I know where. It 
was the other end of the tunnel, but I couldn’t 
find it again if I were to search fifty years.” 

^^Miss Miriam can ride my horse and we will come 
back and look for the horses in the morning,” said 
Grant. 

Miriam was placed on Grant’s horse and the two 
men led the way back to the road. 

^‘How did you happen to be in the temple at this 
time of night with a lantern?” McCain asked. 

^^Well, it was this way,” Grant explained. 
^^Tom Hempstead rode over in the storm and asked 
if you were there. When I told him that you were 
not, he told me that you had not returned and he 
feared that you were lost in the storm. So I put 
on my rubber coat, woke up Collins and we went 
in search of you. I happened to be in the temple 
when you shot.” 

He thought it best not to let Miriam into the 
secret of the capture of the President and the in- 
tended Indian uprising. He did not wish to 
frighten her and he was afraid that if it got out 
among the men at the mines they might leave by 
the next steamer. 

Then McCain and Miriam told their story in de- 
tail, with the exception of the love talk in the cave. 


74 Children of Destiny. 

They had agreed that the latter was not for the 
public to feast upon. 

^^Hello there — who is that?’^ cried a voice as 
they approached the road. 

'‘The lost 'babes in the wood/ Tom/^ Grant an- 
swered. 

"The next time you precious infants go lose 
yourself in a storm 'don’t expect me to search for 
you/’ said Tom as they came up. "I’ve got other 
business to look after— besides if you can’t keep 
a big road on a night the moon is shining you 
ought to be lost and never found. Here I have 
been racing about all night and will probably have 
such a cold I can’t go to the cock-fight to-morrow 
— and I’ve got money up on 'El Paso/ too.” 

"If you only knew the danger your little sister 
has been in you would not mind the trouble, Tom,” 
said Miriam. "Would you or would you not ?” 

"Oh, well, now, I didn’t make any kick till I 
found you, did I?” asked Tom, as if they had 
never been found he would not regret the trouble 
taken. "Here’s your horses that I found tied out 
in the woods, at least a half-mile from any one’s 
house. How did it happen? Wait a moment 
though until I blow up the rest of the party,” and 
taking a horn from the pommel of his saddle Tom 
gave it a vicious toot. 

Soon from all directions it was answered and 
the search party joined them. The search party 
included Mr. Hempstead, Collins, all of Mr. 
Hempstead’s servants and a half dozen men from 
the mines. 

The homeward journey was resumed and Me- 


Children of Destiny. 75 

Cain and Miriam told their story to a party of in- 
terested men. 

Miriam rode between her father and McCain and 
she promised her father again and again to obey 
her sister’s commands and not go riding at night. 
She begged him to forgive her for being so rebel- 
lious, and as she rode along the moonlit road 
Grant declared that it was a pretty picture of the 
little rebel tamed of her mutinous spirit. And as 
she rode with her hand in that of her father’s and 
her head bowed in submission and surrender she 
looked the very picture that he had quoted. 

McCain little cared what was going on now that 
she was safe. He almost wished that he could 
have seen her rescued and remained behind to die 
in the tunnel. What would life be to him now? 

am going away to-morrow,” he whispered. 
^^Try to remember me as one who has a good heart 
in spite of his faults ; and when you are in trouble 
tell Grant to send for me. Good-bye — maybe 
forever.” 

‘‘Good-bye, good friend.” 

“Will you come and go over to the mines with 
us, Mr. Hempstead?” Grant was asking in the 
meantime. “I have some important business to 
attend to to-night and we will need your assistance 
— government affairs,” he whispered, “and they 
concern we Americans even to the matter of life 
and death!” 

Wondering, Mr. Hempstead promised to go over 
when he had seen Miriam safe; and he took her 
in to the sisters, who scolded and blessed the little 
Cinderella by turns. Then he rejoined the party 
at the gate and they all rode for Velasco at full 


76 Children of Destiny. 

speed. McCain rode in the rear, thinking of the 
late occurrence and one of the miners dropped 
back with him. 

‘‘If s mighty easy to get lost in the mountains 
at night, ain^t it, Mr. McCain?’^ he asked. 

“Very easy,’^ replied McCain. 

“I didn^t know that you knew the cave was 
there, he continued. 

“I didn’t.^^ 

“Well, weren’t you glad when you found it ?” 

“Yes. We found it just in time. The storm 
came up just as we went in.” 

“That was a good excuse you made to the old 
un,” said the miner with an insinuating smile. 

McCain looked up quickly. 

“What do you mean ?” he exclaimed in a hoarse 
voice. The miner’s breath smelled suspiciously. 

“Oh, nothin’. I only said that excuse you give 
the old man took all right.” 

McCain struck the workman in the mouth be- 
fore he knew it. 

“You miserable hound!” he cried, “if you ever 
make another insinuation like tliat I will kill you 
in your tracks ! Ride on ahead, damn you, before 
I shoot you now.” 

“Oh, I beg pardon, Mr. McCain,” said the miner, 
who had never been acquainted with nice ladies. 
“I beg pardon.” 

“Ride on,” said McCain, “and never open your 
mouth again.” 

“What is the meaning of this ?” Mr. Hempstead 
asked as the party dismounted and were met at the 
door by Hamilton. 

“What are you up to ?” inquired McCain. 


Children of Destiny. 77 

Grant did not reply until he saw the miners that 
had participated in the search go into their cabins 
— which were the last ones in the row. Then he 
turned and said, ^^Lead on, Frank.’^ 

Hamilton led the way into the basement with 
the lantern and unlocking the door of a strong 
room, he threw the bull’s-eye of his lantern on the 
figure of Laredo sitting in a corner. 

^^Gentlemen,” said Grant after a moment’s 
silence, ^^Senor Ferdinand Laredo, President of 
the Eepuhlic, is glad to have the pleasure of receiv- 
ing you !” 


78 


Children of Destiny. 


CHAPTER XI. 

For a moment Mr. Hempstead, Tom and Mc- 
Cain stared at the President in silence. Finally 
Mr. Hempstead broke the silence. 

^^What is the meaning of this, Grant he asked. 
^^Do yon know this is high treason?’^ 

^^You are right, Sehor,” said Laredo; ^^treason 
of the very rankest sort. But as yon are not a 
party to it I will not harm yon if yon can manage 
to send a note to General Kioja, explaining the 
state of affairs and giving him my orders to move 
with the police against this honse.’^ 

^^Say, yon ^close,’ reqnested Hamilton ; ^^yon 
havenT got any vote in this convention.” 

“In the way of an explanation, gentlemen, I 
will say this,” said Grant. “I have wondered of 
late how government affairs wonld be attended to 
if we had another President in office and my cnri- 
osity getting the better of me, I have determined 
to try another. Hamilton, I am sorry to impose 
upon yonr good natnre, bnt I am qnite snre the 
gentlemen wonld be obliged if yon relate yonr 
story again.” 

Hamilton related how he had become lost, his 
adventnre in the temple, how he had saved Lare- 
do’s life and how Grant had appeared upon the 
scene jnst in time to save his own. 

“How, gentlemen,” said Grant — still in a ban- 
tering tone, “the President is an excellent man, 


Children of Destiny. 79 

but he is just like the rest of us, in fact like every- 
thing human — he has his ambitions. Unfor- 
tunately for us we stand in his way and have in- 
curred his Excellency’s great disregard. If the 
President were, say dictator of the state his power 
would be much greater — in fact so great that he 
could point his finger and the Americans would 
understand that they must go. We love this 
country too much to leave it, so we must furnish 
a President for a few days who can lay aside his 
ambitions for the good of the State. In short, a 
good, honest statesman that can lay aside all his 
hopes and serve the country much better by re- 
fusing this offer of dictatorship when it is made to 
him, at the public festivities the day after to-mor- 
row. I will say beforehand, gentlemen, that a 
President’s life is fraught with danger, and the 
danger of this acting President will be fifty times 
doubled. I will ask no man to undertake , this 
perilous adventure, but I will merely call your at- 
tention to the fact that in stature and features Mc- 
Cain is the nearest the President’s double. This is 
said with no intention either of insulting any one, 
because the President is really handsome.” 

will be the President,” cried McCain. The 
poet was reckless and he thought too that here was 
a chance of serving the girl he loved. 

^^Think twice, old man,” said Grant, ^Temember 
that it is a dangerous undertaking.” 

don’t care, I am determined. It’s the only 
chance I’ll ever have of becoming the President of 
any country,” he added smiling at the circle of 
faces about him that seemed dark and stern by the 
pale lantern light. 


80 Children of Destiny. 

^^Can’t I play President a while?’’ asked Tom, 
who began to fear it was a made-np affair between 
the two to slight him. 

^^Compare yonr broad shoulders with those of 
his Excellency — there is a difference of one-half.” 

^^Give me the job,” said Hamilton. ^H’ll make 
the best President this god-forsaken country ever 
had.” 

‘^Yes, but it will be difficult to explain to the 
people how the President’s hair managed to turn 
from dark to sandy in one night, or how he man- 
aged to become so square-shouldered in one night. 
Ho, after McCain I am the nearest like the Presi- 
dent, and I will undertake it if McCain don’t wish 
to go. If you have decided after I have warned 
you, McCain, you will have to make some changes. 
You will have to exchange clothes with his former 
Excellency and don a false moustache that I have 
upstairs which will have to be trimmed some, and 
you will have to change your Spanish accent a 
great deal.” 

beg your pardon, Senors,” said a voice from 
the doorway, ^ffiut madame, the wife of the Presi- 
dent, has sent me here in search of his Excellency. 
She informed me that he had told her he was com- 
ing here and as the storm has caused her to be 
anxious for his welfare she has sent me to tell him 
to return. Have any of you — ah, your Excellency, 
you have heard my mission.” 

^^How did you happen to know that we were 
down here?” asked Collins. 

^Tardon me, senors,” said the general — for the 
new arrival was Kioja, the commander-in-chief of 
the army. should have explained that on my 


81 


Children of Destiny. 

first entering. As I stepped upon the veranda I 
saw a light shining upon the wall opposite the 
head of the stairs. I supposed you were down- 
stairs conferring with his Excellency upon some 
matter of business, so I ventured upon the liberty 
of coming down.’’ 

^^You did quite right,” said McCain. ^‘Mr. Ham- 
ilton will usher you up to the office and entertain 
you until the President has finished his business 
consultation. We will not detain his Excellency 
long.” 

^Ht’s a lie, Rioja — they have me a prisoner,” ex- 
claimed Laredo. ‘^Rescue me !” 

With the first words of the President, Rioja, 
who supposed him to be in some danger, drew his 
sword, while Laredo leaped toward the door. But 
Hamilton jerked the President back violently 
against the wall, while the faithful old general 
looked down the blue barrel of Grant’s Smith 
and Wesson revolver. 

^^His Excellency has changed his mind. Gen- 
eral,” said Grant. ‘‘He has decided to remain a 
few days with us and he would be obliged to have 
you remain also. Now, Hamilton, your ambitious 
desires may be partially granted. You have asked 
to be President of Maraquapez, but commander-in- 
chief of the army is the highest office we can ten- 
der you right now. It may be that in the near 
future we will have something better.” 

“Thank you,” said Hamilton. “That beats noth- 
ing as good as a flush will take a pair. I am a pa- 
tient man and I can wait to be President.” 

“I wish the Secretary of the Treasury would 


82 Children of Destiny. 

break in now,” remarked Tom. “I am getting left 
clear out of this deal of portfolios/^ 

have a moustache upstairs that will do you, 
too, Hamilton/^ Grant continued. 

^^Say, you must be a sort of Nick Carter/^ broke 
in Tom. 

^^They were used by McCain and me when 
we got mixed up in that revolution in Venezuela 
last year and saved our lives. If we had not pro- 
cured them we would never have escaped the mob 
that rebelled against the foreigners,” said Grant. 
^^Now, gentlemen, part of us will guard the Presi- 
dent and General, while the rest help to make the 
change. Collins, you had better go upstairs and 
guard us against further interruption.” 

The captives were ordered to disrobe, which 
they did rather sullenly. While the exchange of 
clothing was being effected Tom Hempstead enter- 
tained the General with an account of the Presi- 
dent’s shrewd schemes. The honest old General 
was shocked. 

^Tf this is true, Sehors,” he said, '^you may let 
me out and I will go about my business without 
revealing your plans.” 

^^General,” said Grant, would bet ten to one 
that if you were released you would do as you 
say, but that one is where you lose. If I could 
bet ten to nothing I would give you your liberty. 
You see you know a lot to tell if you wanted to 
tell it and this is a game it won’t pay us to lose. 
We will set you free just the moment we are safe, 
and we will see that you are reinstated in office. 
Now, boys,” Grant continued to the disguised men, 

believe your disguises are perfect. You are both 


Children of Destiny. 83 

reckless and hot-headed, but let me advise you to 
be cool and drop sentiment now. Eemember that 
the lives of every American in this State are rest- 
ing in your hands and their safety depends entirely 
on your being cool and collected. 

‘^You understand why I am asking you to un- 
dertake this move. It is to thwart Laredo and by 
refusing the dictatorship for him save ourselves a 
great danger. With Laredo for dictator of Mara- 
quapez our lives are not worth a straw.” 

^^When the President’s household supposes you 
to be retired to-night, slip out and take this letter 
to your yacht, McCain, and entrust it to the man 
in charge of your vessel. Order him to sail on the 
morrow for New Orleans with all possible speed 
and deliver the letter to the agent of the company 
stationed at that port. The letter requests the 
agent to rush us up two hundred workmen at once, 
and when this is done the captain of the yacht must 
hurry back with them, first telegraphing when he 
can get here. Tell your officer that 300 rifies will 
be packed in the machinery boxes and 7,500 cart- 
ridges will be in the soap boxes. He must not let 
any of the men know the real contents of these 
boxes. It is my belief that whether the President 
accepts the dictatorship or not, or who is President, 
the Indians intend to rebel and I want to be pre- 
pared for them.” 

‘Tf that Is your belief, why do you hold us pris- 
oners?” inquired Laredo. 

^Tor this reason : you will accept the dictatorship, 
get a large force to swear to an alibi for you and 
we could tell the Spanish settlement and the army 
what we pleased about your perfidy. Then, on the 


84 Children of Destiny. 

night the Indians proposed to attack ns, you would 
be there with your army to aid them. Oh no, we 
know a good thing when we have our hands on it, 
and we intend to keep an eye on you until this little 
fun is over. That is all, hoys. Be cool, now. By 
George ! you are perfect counterparts of the men 
you are supposed to be.^^ 

So Collins seemed to think, for when he saw 
them by the hall lamp upstairs coming out way 
ahead of the others, he thought the prisoners were 
escaping and threw up his gun to recaptufe them. 

^‘As general of the army I arrest you on the 
charge of high treason, said Hamilton, laugh- 
ing and passing on, while Collins put his pistol 
back in its sheath, at the same time looking much 
like a man when ^The drinks are all on him.” 


Children of Destiny. 


85 


CHAPTEE XII. 

here you are at last, my President cried 
Madame Laredo, running forward to meet McCain 
and Hamilton as they came up the walk about 
three o’clock that morning. With all her Spanish 
blooded vivacity she kissed the supposed President, 
while Hamilton abruptly turned his back and 
stuffed a red bandanna handkerchief in his mouth. 

^^I have been sitting up and waiting for you so 
long,” said Madame Laredo. “Why have you staid 
away so long and why are you so cold and distant 
toward me ?” 

McCain caught the hint of being “cold,” so he 
warmed up to his task, after cordially inviting the 
brave old General to be seated, and flung as much 
“hot air” at her as if he were courting her. 

“Isn’t he charming. General ?” the madame 
asked. “He hasn’t pretended to be so fond of me 
since we were married.” 

“Though he may be too busy now to often talk 
of love to you, madame, his Excellency is as fond 
of you as ever,” replied the stem old General, at the 
same time warning the President to freeze a little, 
by a solid kick in the dark, which unfortunately 
landed on one of McCain’s corns. 

“Oh, damn 

“Why, Ferdinand!” 

“Well, I can’t help it when I think of those 


80 Children of Destiny. 

Americans. Haven’t they made splendid progress 
at the mines, though, General ?” 

McCain barely saved himself, but in his sujffer- 
ings he could not forbear speaking in English. 

‘^Vhy, Ferdinand, you can speak English well. 
He hasn’t taken many lessons, either. General.” 

'G have often noticed that his Excellency is a 
brilliant scholar, Madame,” said Hamilton, who 
had been laughing in the dark and who had sobered 
up just in time. ^^But I am a better soldier than 
scholar, your Excellency. Will you translate your 
question into our native tongue? I did not get 
it all.” 

didn’t think you understood a word of Eng- 
lish, General,” said Madame Laredo. 

^^How I put my foot in it,” said Hamilton to 
himself. Then he added aloud: ‘‘Oh, yes, I have 
lately picked up a few little phrases. If I didn’t 
learn anything from the variety I used to hear 
in the mines I ought to be hung,” he added to him- 
self again. 

Of course, after the President had repeated his 
question in Spanish, the General understood per- 
fectly. He was well aware of the fact that the 
Americans were making much progress at the 
mines, but he thought that the State had done 
wrong in allowing them to open up the business 
in their country. The President was of the same 
opinion also, and declared that he had done all in 
his power to prevent their settling there, but all 
his work had been in vain, just because the gov- 
ernment officers would not stand by him. Madame 
Laredo begged them, however, not to be so preju- 
diced against the Americans. They were a peace- 


Children of Destiny. 87 

fully disposed people, attended strictly to their 
own business, and as they were good business men, 
the country was much better off by having them 
there. But neither the President or Greneral agreed 
to this and they thought that instead of benefit- 
ting the country the Americans did just the op- 
posite. 

^^And now, little wife, you will arrange the east 
room for the General and me,^’ said the President, 
not knowing but that the parlor or kitchen was on 
the east side of the house. 

guessed that the General would consent to 
stay with you, and, knowing what great friends 
you were, I had two beds placed in the east room 
for you.^^ 

^^The General will probably leave for the frontier 
again in a few days, and as we see so little of each 
other of late, he has consented to stay with me while 
in San Samanca.^^ 

am sure you are glad to have the General 
with you,^^ said Madame Laredo. ^^You were ever 
like brothers. A generaks life is not a rose bed, is 
it, General ? But you should not complain. You 
are rewarded far above your fellowmen.^^ 

^^Yes, Madame, we are rewarded much. I am 
myself more than repaid by your kind friendli- 
ness, and when the flower of our beautiful ladies 
thus rewards me I can care but little for the pri- 
vations and dangers I undergo.” 

^^Ah, General, you are still as gallant as ever,” 
said Madame Laredo, bowing and holding her lips 
up for the President to kiss her good night. 
‘^Good night, Ferdinand. Good night. General.” 

‘‘1 guess this is the east room where this light 


88 Children of Destiny. 

is shining/^ said McCain, as they walked down 
the hall. 

gness not,” replied Hamilton, as he jerked 
his head in and jerked it out as quick, ^^unless our 
bedroom is the same as that of madame’s sister.” 

^^Well, this must be it,” said McCain, stopping 
before another room where a light was shining. 

don^t care whether it is or not, I am going 
in,” and Hamilton walked on in and took a seat 
on the side of the bed. ^^You are a fine host not to 
know your own bedroom.” 

^^Fine host or poor one,” said McCain, ^hf you 
ever kick me on my corn again you leave this 
house, and if you give me any back talk about it 
I will fire you from your job.” 

Hamilton lay back on the bed convulsed with 
laughter. 

^^Yhen I think of how you jumped and cussed,” 
he said, don’t regret being only general because 
of the fun I am getting out of it. But,” he con- 
tinued, sobering up, ^Vhen I see you and your 
wife sitting there happy in each other’s love I think 
that Grant treated me wrong.” 

^Gf this kind of a scene keeps up I think my wife 
will cause me to lose my job.” 

^^hat do you care — ^what do you care? You 
should not care as long as you have her. Your 
first duty lies toward your loved ones at home.” 

Madame Laredo was the kind of woman that it is 
hard for time to break. She was at least thirty- 
five years of age and still retained fair, unbroken 
features. Her great sorrow in life was that she 
had never been the mother of children. She had 
been deceived by her husband all along, and the 


Children of Destiny, 89 

man she thought was the very embodiment of all 
that was good and noble, was, on the contrary, the 
very opposite — a scheming politician — a traitor to 
the country that had honored him. 

McCain threw open the window of the bedroom 
and gazed out. The window opened out on the 
veranda and on the street was about fifty yards 
away. 

^^Blow out the lamp, FranV^ he said, ^^and let’s 
cut it through the yard to the street. We’ve got 
to get a move on us if we make it to the yacht and 
back before good light.” 

^ Hamilton did as he was commanded, and, slip- 
ping out of the window the two dropped from the 
veranda to the ground and walked hurriedly across 
the lawn to the street and then to the wharf, where 
they found a skiff and rowed to the yacht, which 
was lying in the still waters. They had removed 
their moustachios, but even then the watch on 
board did not know McCain in his Spanish dress. 

‘^Who goes there?” he cried. 

^^Go wake McCarthy and tell him to come down 
here. Will,” commanded McCain. 

McCarthy presently appeared, looking very 
sleepy, and descended the ladder thrown down. 
McCain introduced him to Hamilton as the ship’s 
captain, and then gave him the letter with the in- 
structions. He took McCarthy into his confidence 
to insure the captain’s promptness, but commanded 
him under no circumstances to let it escape his 
mouth. 

The next morning Madame Laredo appeared at 
breakfast arrayed in a loose fitting gown, in which 
she looked fresh and beautiful. She greeted the 


90 


Children of Destiny. 

impostors with smiles and a kiss for the President. 
McCain was sorry that it was a case of necessity 
for him to deceive her so, bnt he remembered what 
Grant had told him, — that it would be necessary 
to drop all sentiment, — so he tried to dismiss the 
subject from his mind. 

‘‘I declare, Sehors,^^ she said, ‘^you are both look- 
ing fresh and quite young. May I ask where this 
fountain of youth is that I may restore my youth 
also?” 

McCain seated himself next her, after asking 
Hamilton to take the chair on the opposite side 
of the table, and began the meal. 

^^You do not need the assistance of a fountain of 
youth to hold your own, my dear — at least in my 
old eyes.” 

'^His Excellency is quite righV^ added General 
Rioja. ^Teople have often commented upon your 
youthful appearance in my presence — er, you are 
not very old, are you, Madame ?” 

^^Ask Ferdinand,” said madame. knows 

my age even better than I?” 

^^Holy Virgin !” McCain exclaimed, but happily 
in Spanish. have forgotten it as ^slick as a 
whistle.^” • 

‘Slick as a whistle,’ ” repeated Madame Laredo. 
“What does that mean, Ferdinand ?” 

“Oh, that is just a phrase I picked up from those 
Americans. It don’t mean much of anything.’^ 

“And so you have forgotten my age? Isn’t he 
devoted. General, to forget his wife’s age? Which 
is it, now, thirty-five or thirty-six ?” 

“Whatever it is, Madame,” said Hamilton, tak- 
ing the hint after McCain had nearly kicked him 


91 


Children of Destiny. 

to pieces under the table, “you certainly deceive 
your looks. If this were the first time I had seen 
you I would pronounce you not over twenty-five.^^ 

“Thank you, General, for the compliment, but 
don’t forget that Spanish gentlemen are prone to 
flatter.” 

“In my country, Madame,” and the General 
glanced significantly at the President, “in my coun- 
try the ladies are so very beautiful one cannot well 
flatter.” 

“Your patriotism carries you too far, Manuel,” 
said the President, “because in mine and your 
country I have seen some very ugly women.” 

“And I suppose I am one?” asked Madame 
Laredo, shyly. 

“You, Madame, are not only the foremost lady 
of the land because you are the ^Mistress of the 
White House’ 

“What is that?” 

“That is another expression I caught from the 
Americans. It is what they call their President’s 
wife.” 

“Oh, I see. You are learning the American 
ways very fast, in spite of your dislike for them.” 

“Well, as I was saying, not only are you the 
foremost lady of the land, by being the President’s 
wife, but your beauty gives you that place also.” 

“You so love to flatter me,” and the President’s 
wife actually arose and kissed him at the table, 
while Hamilton turned his head and stuffed two 
biscuits in his mouth. 

“Ferdinand,” she said, as they arose from the 
table, “Sister Isabel wishes me to go home with 


92 


Children of Destiny. 

her to see dear old father and stay a couple of 
weeks. Could you spare me that long 

‘^Yes, gladly — ^that is, if it were some one else. 
But as it is you it will be hard to do without you 
that long. But you may go and see the old man. 
You haven’t seen him for so long.” 

‘^Why it was just last week that he was here 
to see me.” 

^^That’s right — I had almost forgotten that.” 

‘^Besides, I will be back for the ball.” 

^^Eh? What ball? Oh, that’s right, I had al- 
most forgotten the ball, too. Well, good-bye, dear. 
Have a good time and come back soon.” 

And thus cautioning her, the President strolled 
across the grounds to the capitol with the General. 

“Isn’t that a streak of luck,” he cried when out 
of hearing. “I hope she will stay away now until 
my official career here is ended.” 

“You are a lucky fellow. How there is a beau- 
tiful Spanish woman given you as wife and you 
wanting her to leave, while I can’t get one as a 
gift, purchase or conquest.” 

“I can’t get the one I want,” and McCain sighed 
as he thought how strikingly true his words were. 
“Say, what ball is that ?” 

“I don’t know. I guess we will find out in time 
to grace it with our honored presence. That must 
be your office boy,” he added, referring to a young 
mestizo at the office door, who bowed low as they 
entered, and, closing the door behind them, went 
on to some other part of the building. 

^W^ell,” said McCain, as he sat down at the 
desk and began looking over the loose papers, “I’ve 
got to run this government in some sort of a way 


Children of Destiny. 93 

and having no experience I am slightly at a loss 
how to do the thing.” 

‘^Oh, any old way will pass. Just look at me. 
Fve got to command an army when I never was so 
much as a private.” 

^^Senors Paoquaz, Roderigo and San Miguel to 
see your Excellency,” announced the mestizo. 

^^Ah,” said McCain, aside to Hamilton, ^^my 
Indian friends who wish me to chase the Ameri- 
cans out of the country. Show them in,” he added 
aloud to the mestizo. 


94 


Children of Destiny. 


CHAPTEK XIII. 

^^Good morning, Senors,” said McCain from his 
desk as the three men entered. 

The Indians bowed and seated themselves in a 
circle about the supposed President. They were, 
in fact, three wealthy, influential men,- with good 
primary education and members of the Maraquapez 
State Assembly. Each represented a province, 
where, of course, the Indians were the most pop- 
ulous and which, of course, was the least civilized 
part of the country. But so firmly had the spirit 
of their religion been planted in their bosoms in 
childhood no education or civilization could uproot 
it. They had grown more fanatic if anything and 
were the secret leaders of their sect. 

^^Well, Senors,’’ said McCain, putting a paper 
weight on the last document he had been reading, 
and leaning back in true business style, ^Vhat can 
I do for you to-day 

‘‘Your Excellency,” said Paoquaz, ^^may remem- 
ber something of the debates that ensued in the As- 
sembly when the offer for the purchase of land by 
the Velasco Mining Co. was before the Secretary 
of Agriculture and Mines.” 

‘T remember very well,” said McCain, briefly, 
as if he had been the presiding officer of the Senate 
and right there, instead of a thousand miles away. 
‘‘But I fail to see where that can be connected 
with any business that you may have with me.” 


95 


Children of Destiny. 

will get to that point directly, your Ex- 
cellency. You will remember also that among 
those who strongly opposed this measure was my- 
self and my two friends here. You will remember 
also that you yourself were not in favor of the 
measure. 

will give you our reasons for opposing the 
sale. We represent in the Senate three of the most 
populous provinces in the State, and the popula- 
tion of those provinces consists mostly of people of 
our own race. Some of our people have to hire to 
these Americans because they cannot get employ- 
ment elsewhere. These Americans treat our people 
as if they were slaves. They beat them, starve 
them and let them die of fever without doing any- 
thing to help them. 

‘^Well, the Velasco Mining Co. effected their pur- 
chase simply because the white people who were not 
subjected to this treatment did not care. Fifty of 
our people who could get no other employment 
were forced to hire to the Americans. What has 
been the result ? They have been beaten, 
starved 

^^Hold!” cried Hamilton, with a frown on his 
brow, but McCain secretly pinched him to remind 
him where he was. ^T am opposed to this incur- 
sion of the foreigners quite as much as yourselves, 
Senors,” he said, appeasing his angry outbreak, 
^ff)ut I am for justice all the time. His Excellency 
will bear me out in the statement that when we 
went through the mines on a tour of inspection 
we found that all the laborers were treated alike 
and none of them badly treated.^" 

^^The General is quite right, Senors,^’ said Me- 


96 Children of Destiny. 

Cain, found no such state of affairs as you 
mention.” 

^^Then we have been imposed upon,” said San 
Miguel. ^^But suppose they have not been badly 
treated in this case, your Excellency, there are oth- 
er cases. Even if they had never been badly 
treated, the fact that the Americans are in our 
country raising our products and digging our 
wealth to send away is enough to make the hearts 
of the true patriots burn in anger. We have stood 
their persecutions too long, Mr. President, much 
too long.” 

“Much too long,” repeated Roderigo, shaking his 
head. “Do you know, your Excellency, our people 
have been greatly satisfied with you. They send 
by me hearty words of greeting. They say that 
you have served Maraquapez well and they think 
that you deserve more reward. They think our 
country could be better governed if you were, for 
instance, dictator.” 

“They think that you would be better able to act 
were you not so restrained by the law governing the 
President’s power,” said San Miguel. “They think 
that if you were dictator these Americans would 
be glad to get away with their lives. Our people 
are strong in numbers, Mr. President. In fact, 
they compose the majority of the population and 
are in all parts of the country following all trades 
and professions. Some are in the Senate and one 
is in the Cabinet. Some are in the army, as you 
know, General, and some are in the fields and 
mines. But they all love their President and at a 
signal will be ready to defend him with their 
Jives.” 


Children of Destiny. 97 

^^They will all be at the parade to*-morrow/’ said 
Paoquaz, ^^and after the parade they will march 
in a body before the reviewing stand and Sehor 
Roderigo will make an address thanking you for 
your past services, and offering you a reward. We 
are not at liberty to state what that reward will 
be until Sehor Roderigo mentions it in his speech.” 

^^We have this much to say beforehand, your 
Excellency,” Roderigo broke in, ^hf you will get up 
some excuse to drive the American adventurers out 
of the State and the white people rise in rebellion 
against you, we will be prepared to stand by you,, 
every man of us, and we are the majority.” 

McCain bent his head a moment as if in thought. 

'^This is a flattering proposal, Sehors,” he said, 
“but it will be also a bold step. You must give me 
time to think it over. Come to this room at ten 
day after to-morrow and I will give you your an- 
swer.” 

The Indians bowed and flled out of the room. 

“Well,” said McCain, as the door closed on them, 
“I have a flattering proposal to consider, as you 
have just heard, and as you have your army to ar- 
range for the parade to-morrow, I propose you do 
that while I take a nap.” 

“Thank the Lord I’ve met most of my officers 
in the cafes and on the plaza, so I know their 
names and rank. ITl just give them a touch of 
the 'big head’ by acting upon their suggestion re- 
garding the line up and so forth.” 

“Well, don’t forget your business and go drag- 
ging after the Senorita Inez. The report is already 
spread that you and I have gone to New Orleans on 


98 Children of Destiny. 

my yacht, and if you confide in every one, the call 
for government officers will be greater than we can 
supply.” 

^^Your job is President of the republic, while 
mine is general of the army. You will please to 
look after your business and let mine alone.” 

^^Don’t get huffy. I might have you fired,” Mc- 
Cain shouted after him. ^^Now, if none of those 
Cabinet officers come bothering around I can sleep 
a while.” 

McCain drew a portrait from his pocket and 
gazed at it steadily a moment. It was a side 
view of Miriam in a white summer gown. ^‘Dear 
little girl,” he said, sadly, ^ffhere is nothing I 
would not do for your sake.” Then, with a last 
lingering look at the photograph and a long drawn 
sigh, he placed it in his pocket again, and, taking 
up a pen began to write. He dashed off two or 
three pages of manuscript, and, putting the paper 
weight upon what he had written lay down upon 
the lounge and went to sleep. ' 

Hamilton soon returned, and, finding him asleep, 
did not disturb him, but sat down in the desk chair 
and picked up the pages McCain had written. He 
read it through and chuckled softly to himself. 
They read : 


In the midnight shade repining. 

When the world is wrapped in sleep; 
And the moonlight dim is shining 
O'er the calm and peaceful deep, 
And the South wind fitfully 
Sighs its sweetest melody. 


99 


Children of Destiny. 

And the moon in dimness shining. 
O'er the dark and shadowy trees. 
Boomed a cdshot golden reclining 
In the deep blue ethereal seas. 
Or some spirit watch of light 
Keeping guard o' or ancient night. 

Then I wandered by the river. 

In the quiet and silent night. 

Saw the busy waters quiver 

And rush on in mad delight — 
Saw, in youthful immensity 
The river rushing to the sea. 

And I compared my own dreaming, 
Of a life, unto this stream. 

And how all things seeming 

Are not what they always seem; 
And how when life's fever is past, 

The boundless sea is reached at last. 

Ah, fairest maiden! best beloved! 

Thou whose radiant features bless. 
And whose perfect life is wedded 
Unto perfect loveliness: 

From far o'er moorland and lea 
Thy presence comes again to me. 

And I stand as one entranced 
Holding thy white hand 
While the mellow moonlight danced 
O'er the river and the land: 

And I see in thy brown eyes 
All thafs fair in paradise. 

LoiO. 


100 Children of Destiny. 

But alas! the old illusions 
Of a sad, tormented hrain 
^And the oft and oft confusions 
Of a passion that's insane; 

And hopes that in our hosoms quiver 
Rush on nice the maddened river: 

^Toor fellow — ^poor fellow !” sighed Hamilton as 
he tiptoed out of the room. ^^What would his 
mother have thought had she knpwn he was writ- 
ing poetry 


Children of Destiny. 


101 


CHAPTER XIV. 

^^Hello^ Tom/^ said McCain, as Tom Hemp- 
stead came upon the porch the evening after the 
interview with the Indians. ^^How is everything 
at the mines 

‘‘Nothing stirring, yonr Excellency,” Tom 
drawled. “There is nothing doing to show that 
yonr country is on the eve of a great insurrection. 
Beg pardon. Are we quite out of earshot?” 

“We are.” 

“Madame Laredo — I hope she is quite well ?” 

“Quite. My wife is visiting the old man — ^pa, 
you know ?” 

“Oh, I see. Your suggestion, I suppose ?” 

“No, not his suggestion,” said Hamilton, “but 
since I have been a guest in this mansion I have 
observed that his Excellency is not as good to his 
wife as one may suppose him to be.” 

“Say, I guess we will have the honor of your 
distinguished presence at the ball given by Sehor 
Aracajo next Monday night?” 

“That reminds me,” said Hamilton. “I found 
an invitation on my table when I went to my 
lodging. I am going.” 

“Well, I can’t say that I am going until I find 
whether I have been invited or not.” 

“Ask your servants to bring you the invitation 
if it has come.” 


102 Children of Destiny. 

may have seen it once before/^ 

^^Thaf s all right. Tell your butler to bring you 
the invite ; that you want to see it again.^^ 

^^But it may not have come ?” 

^^Say, I wouldnT be President for anything. Just 
look at the difficulties he runs up against/^ re- 
marked Tom. 

^^Then just think of the noble chance he has of 
serving his country. I tell you what you can do, 
Mac. Tell the servant to bring you the invitation, 
and if he says you haven’t any, just remark that it 
is strange that it has not come.” 

McCain rang and gave the order. The servant 
bowed and brought the invitation. McCain merely 
glanced at it and gave it back. 

s bona fide,” he remarked, after the servant 
had closed the hall door behind him. ‘T guess I 
will be on hand.” 

The next day the President of the republic 
took his seat in the reviewing stand at half past 
nine exactly. Great crowds had gathered in the 
plaza and on the streets and when they saw the fa- 
miliar figure of the President rise above their heads 
they sent up a mighty cheer that was echoed and 
re-echoed. The white people did not like their 
President, but it was a part of their nature to 
cheer as if he were their ideal. After the Presi- 
dent bowed twice the cheering was repeated and 
prolonged. McCain saw there was no other way 
to quiet them but to make a short speech, so very 
reluctantly he arose. 

“My friends and countrymen,” he said, raising 
one hand to command silence, “this is an auspicious 
day. We are here to gaze again upon our pro- 


Children of Destiny. 103 

tectors — our guardians — the army. We are here 
to see once again our soldier boys returned but 
lately from the frontier, where they have been ex- 
posed to the enemy, the fever, the fatigue of forced 
marches and the scorching sun. Let us do them 
honor, for they have served their country well and 
borne themselves like the heroes of that country 
where d^rave men never die.’ It demonstrates to 
the world the power and patriotism of our coun- 
try. Welcome, people of San Samanca and Mara- 
quapez ! and all honor to the heroes who have re- 
turned !” 

As the fake President concluded his speech a 
deafening shout went up from the crowd below. 
Hats, handkerchiefs and walking sticks were waved 
in the air and cries of ^^Long live the President !” 
was heard on every side. 

McCain, sitting between He Callabaro and the 
Secretary of Home Affairs, heard a familiar voice 
shouting lustily in among the carriages lined along 
the street in front of the reviewing stand, and, 
glancing in that direction, he saw the entire party 
of his American friends. Tom Hempstead, seated 
on a horse, was doing the excessive yelling, while 
Grant and Miriam, on the front of the Hempstead 
carriage, were waving their handkerchiefs and 
smiling. 

^‘That was a fine speech, your Excellency,” re- 
marked He Callabaro. 

^‘Thanks,” murmured McCain, as his eyes rested 
on the trim figure and smiling face of the girl 
he loved. Her smile was sweet even when given to 
Grant, he thought. What would it be like if given to 
him, and with these refiections in his mind he did 


104 Children of Destiny. 

not notice the Indians drawing away and walking 
up the street one by one. At a signal from San 
Miguel they had gone to the mustering place to 
fall in and march in the rear of the army to the 
reviewing stand. 

Suddenly a loud shout announced the approach 
of the army, and Hamilton, riding with his staff, 
turned the nearest corner. This shout had come in 
time to save Grant from answering an embarrass- 
ing question. Miriam had just asked him if he knew 
why the President glanced so intently at her. 

The people gave a loud, prolonged cheer as the 
supposed General Eioja passed with his staff and 
cheered so continually as the army passed as to al- 
most completely drown the music of the bands. 

McCain leaned far over the railing of the re- 
viewing stand with his eyes fixed on Hamilton to 
see if he made any sign that would reveal his 
identity. If he did so his body would be tram- 
pled to pieces by the mob before any explanations 
would be listened to. An army of soldiers was 
at his back and a surging multitude of people all 
around him. 

But Hamilton acted his part well. He assumed 
the stern, stolid appearance of the old general — 
looking straight in front and only turning his head 
once to salute the President. McCain heaved a 
sigh of relief as he passed by unmolested and 
turned his eyes to the army of private soldiers. 

After the army the white people were surprised 
to see the great force of Indians marching in the 
rear with Paoquaz, Roderigo and San Miguel 
riding ahead. For a moment the people were all 
so silent McCain heard the ticking of his watch. 


Children of Destiny. 105 

^ Just as the three leaders rode opposite the re- 
viewing stand San Miguel wheeled his horse and 
cried, ‘^Halt in loud, stentorian tones, while 
Eoderigo rode forward a step and bowed low in his 
saddle to the President. The long line of Indians 
in the rear all halted and stood silent and im- 
movable. 

Then Eoderigo began his speech, telling how 
faithful the President had been to his country in 
the time of need. He reminded him how faith- 
fully he had discharged his duty and thanked him 
in the name of his people. 

^^We need some fearless man to lead us on to- 
ward the bright goal shining near of progress in 
education, commerce and science. This man must 
be faithful in the discharge of his duty to his coun- 
try and his people,” continued Eoderigo, ^^and he 
must not be hampered with extremely limited 
power. He must have more freedom to act than 
the President of the Eepublic or the great task will 
never be accomplished. 

^^The hour has come, but where is the man ? My 
people have pondered long over the question and 
they have concluded unanimously that there is only 
one man in Maraquapez they can trust with all 
this power and yet pledge their lives in maintain- 
ing him in power. Let all cry, ^Long live Lare- 
do, Dictator of all Maraquapez !” 

All down the long line of Indians the cry was 
repeated time and again, then died away and all 
was silent as the grave. Every eye in the great 
crowd was on the President. Not a white native 
moved in his tracks or spoke a word. ^^Would the 
President accept?” they thought. If he did they 


106 Children of Destiny. 

told themselves there would be bloodshed in Mara- 
quapez ! McCain arose slowly and for a moment 
stood facing Roderigo. Then he spoke in slow, 
measured tones, clear to all in sight. 

thank your people for their flattering offer,’^ 
he said, ^^and unmerited compliment. In the dis- 
charge of my duty, however, I deserve no thanks. 

“It is not necessary to have a dictator in Mara- 
quapez. We can attain prosperity without that 
change in government, so after. serious reflection I' 
feel it my duty to my people to decline the offer 
with thanks.” 

Then, from the ranks of the whites gathered 
near, arose a loud, prolonged cry of “Long live 
the President !” 


Children of Destiny. 


107 


CHAPTER XV. 

One morning some time after the events de- 
scribed in the preceding chapters, Thomas Hemp- 
stead lay out in a shady grove in the rear of 
the house, and clanged unmercifully upon a guitar. 
Judging by appearances Tom was supremely hap- 
py. A cigarette was between his lips as usual, and 
his feet were propped high above his head. Only 
one thing was needed at the moment to make his 
life one happy dream, and that, of course, was a 
dog fight where he had up odds. 

He could hear Mabel singing in the house and 
Miriam humming a popular ditty in the yard. 
Presently the latter joined him. 

suppose you know that McCain has gone to 
Hew Orleans, sis,^^ Tom remarked as calmly as if 
he were telling the truth. 

^Tapa has told me,^^ she said. ^^When will he 
return she asked, plucking at a flower on her 
breast. 

^^He did not say. I do not think he ever intends 
to return,^^ he replied, watching her out of a cor- 
ner of the eye, but Miriam remained to all appear- 
ances indifferent. 

am sorry,^^ she said. ^^He was a very nice 
young man.^^ 

‘^That isn’t all — ^he is handsome.” 

‘^Yes, he is very handsome.” 


108 Children of Destiny. 

^^That isn’t all yet — he is wealthy and mnch 
sonffht after by people that have marriageable 
daughters.” 

‘‘You need not have added the latter — it is un- 
derstood.” 

^^Yes, but he is sought after not only for his 
wealth; he is a shining light in any society; has 
traveled a great deal and knows lots about the peo- 
ple and their customs the whole world over. Upon 
the whole he is considered an excellent match.” 

^^What do you mean?” she asked, innocently. 

‘‘Simply this: you should have encouraged him 
more.” 

“Now, look here,” she said, sitting down by him 
and pushing his hair back out of his eyes, “you are 
my big brother and strong, but you are not strong 
enough to govern my heart at all. I can’t govern 
it myself and I am the owner.” 

“A very large heart it is, too, sis, and a very 
sweet owner,” said Tom, kissing her, for he could 
be good and not mischievous to her at times. “Well, 
I was just thinking how pretty you two would look 
before the altar. He handsome, brave, rich and 
learned; you pretty, sweet, demure and trusting. 
Wouldn’t it be a great sight ?” 

Miriam was looking away. She was thinking of 
the same scene with another — and he was hand- 
some, brave and strong, too. 

“Such marriages have been made before,” she 
said, “where true love was lacking, and the result 
was broken hearts and homes. Where there is true 
love is only when a match is a good one — the rest 
is not important.” 

“Oh, well, you needn’t throw that old song up— 


Children of Destiny. 109 

I am not trying to make you marry any one/’ said 
Tom, ^^Dut I am sorry to see you pass McCain by. 
You know yourself he loves you.” 

^^Yes, I know/’ she said, smiling as she thought 
of the night in the cave and then sighing as she 
thought how sad he was, ^Tiut I don’t love him. 
Turning the subject a little, why don’t you marry 
the Sehorita Inez?” 

Tom was about to say, '^Because I don’t love 
her,” but he thought it best to say instead that 
^^She doesn’t love me.” 

don’t ever intend to marry anyway,” he 
added. don’t want a wife to keep me everlast-< 
ingly tied.” 

^^Maybe I don’t intend to marry either.” 

‘^Yes, but you will have to embark on the sea 
of matrimony. You are too pretty and sweet to 
remain single.” 

Miriam laughed, and, kissing him, tripped back 
toward the house again. She sighed as she thought 
that unless Grant would learn to love her she could 
never marry ; for how could her great love for him 
wane in her heart and give place for the love of 
another ? 

Tom lay back in his hammock and wondered 
if she did love some one. Just a year back she had 
nothing to say upon that subject and seemed to care 
as little about it as he himself. Now she had 
changed for some reason and was always ready to 
converse upon that subject. She was either in love 
or approaching womanhood had caused her to turn 
her thoughts toward the future. 

But Thomas was not in the habit of ruminating 
much on the affairs of the heart, so he soon turned 


110 Children of Destiny. 

over in his hammock and tried to go to sleep, in de- 
fiance of the mosquitos. In this, however, he failed, 
so he lay in his hammock very quietly and turned 
his thoughts upon the hall at Senor Aracajo^s, 
which event was to take place soon. 

Soon he heard two of the Indian laborers on 
the plantation conversing near him. As the shrub- 
bery concealed him and he had learned a part of 
their language, he lay very still and listened. 

^^We are all ordered to meet to-night at mid- 
night at the home of Senor Paoquaz,” said one. 
^‘Senor Paoquaz will tell us what to do, as the 
President doesn^t seem to want to help us.^^ 

^^Very well; I will be there,^^ said the other. 
“If the President doesn’t act we will.” 

“I guess I’ll act too,” muttered Tom as he 
heard the Indians going on their different ways. 
“I know it is a breach of etiquette to attend any 
event where you are not invited and the invitations 
are not general, but I suppose that in a time of 
conspiracy those formalities are dispensed with. 
Grant, Hamilton and McCain have all had their 
share of the fun, now I guess it is my time,” and 
Tom turned over and went to sleep, after these 
comforting reflections. 

That night, without a word to any one, he 
mounted his horse and rode toward the residence 
of Paoquaz. In an hour or two he was in the back 
country and a short while after he reined his horse 
into the woods on one side of the road and tied him 
where no passer-by would see him. 

He knew Just how the land lay, for he had often 
visited at the hacienda belonging to Paoquaz. He 
know that the leader would entertain his guests 


Children of Destiny. Ill 

upon the veranda, as it was long and broad and 
would accommodate more people than any room in 
the house. But even the veranda would not hold 
the great crowd that was sure to be present. Some 
would have to occupy benches in the yard, under 
the grove of trees. 

Tom also knew that the only place he could get 
to see and hear without being seen or heard would 
be under the veranda, where Paoquaz and San 
Miguel would in all probability stand to make 
their speeches. So he drew nearer the house, and, 
making an opening in the underbrush that lined 
the clearing wherein the house sat, he peered 
through. By the moonlight he could see Paoquaz . 
and his family gathered upon the veranda await- 
ing the arrival of their guests. 

Tom drew back and began to make a wide, cir- 
cuitous tour of the house, keeping well out from 
the clearing where the trees had been left standing. 
When he had, as he supposed, arrived at the rear 
of the house he peered through the underbrush 
again and saw that the way was clear. Noting this 
fact, he walked boldly out into the opening and 
on toward the house, with his eyes wide open to see 
any person that might observe him. 

But the family were all upon the front side of 
the house and the servants were busy in the 
kitchen, so he escaped detection. When he had 
arrived at the rear veranda he stooped down and 
crawled under the house. When he had crawled 
almost under where Paoquaz sat he moved more 
cautiously and seated himself upon a rock. 

He then looked at his watch and saw that it was 
half past eleven. At the same moment he heard 


112 Children of Destiny. 

Paoqiaaz welcoming the first arrivals, among whom 
were Eoderigo and San Mignel. 

After that the guests came in a steady stream. 
Tom lay upon his breast and scanned their faces 
by the moonlight as they came up the walk. He 
saw nearly all his father’s hands and the men from 
the mines, and knew a great many that had ridden 
all the way from San Samanca, including soldiers 
from the army that Hamilton now commanded. 

Promptly at twelve o’clock Paoquaz threvT" open 
the dining room doors and invited those that could 
get seats to dine and the rest to follow at the sec- 
ond and third tables. The high-toned and wealthy 
ate at the first table. 

Tom moved his position so as to hear what was 
said in the dining room. Every one, without a 
single exception, were for the annihilation of the 
Americans, and when the wine began to flow there 
arose cries of ^^Down with the Americans !” ^^Long 
live Paoquaz, our future Dictator!” and ^^Death 
to the Americans!” 

^Their object, it seems to me,” Tom said to 
himself, ^fis not only a revolt against the Ameri- 
cans^ but a rebellion against the government as 
well.” 

After supper Paoquaz was called upon to ad- 
dress them, and he arose and said : 

‘^My countrymen — people of my race: We are 
here to-night to decide whether we shall stand to- 
gether as foethren in the defence of our liberties or 
go down in history as the cowardly sons of brave 
sires! Some may doubt that we have any cause 
to war against our neighbors. Look about you 
and see. Our civil and our religious liberties are 


Children of Destiny. 113 

taken from ns by, — how can I say it without a 
tear of shame? — by foreigners, allied with the 
whites of our own country against us. 

‘^Our gods have spoken. They call us fools and 
cowards, and so we are unless we stand side by side 
and drive the invader from our land and wrest 
the governing powers from the hands of the native 
whites. 

^^We have spoken with the President and he 
will not make any promises at all. But whether he 
helps us or not, we will go alone and fight the 
Americans, then we will turn against our enemies 
in San Samanca and will seize from them the 
governing power, which, as the first natives of 
this land, is our inalienable right. We want men 
of our own race to say what we shall do and shall 
not do.^^ 

Paoquaz sat down amidst cries of ^^Long live 
Paoquaz, Dictator of Maraquapez V’ and San 
Miguel arose. 

‘T have been asked to command you the night 
we strike for liberty,^^ he said, ^^and I have ac- 
cepted the honor. From now on till the night of 
the 14th you must go on about your business the 
same as ever. On that night you will assemble 
here and I will organize you and give you arms. 
The line of march will be first to the mines, then 
to the plantations of the Americans and from there 
to the capital, where we will attack the army and 
take possession of the capitol building.^^ 

The people replied to this speech by cries of, 
^^Long live San Miguel, the commander-in-ehief of 
the Maraquapez army 

Soon afterward the people were dismissed. Tom 


114 Children of Destiny. 

waited under the house until the guests had all de- 
parted and the inmates of the house had gone to 
bed. Then he crawled out very quietly, and, after 
finding his horse, rode hurriedly for home, where 
he was soon reposing in the arms of Morpheus. 


Children of Destiny, 


115 


CHAPTER XVI. 

The ball at Senor Aracajo’s came off as sched- 
uled, and the entire party of American friends at- 
tended. Tom took Grant aside when he came and 
informed him of what he had heard and seen at 
the hacienda of Paoquaz. 

^^Only what I expected/^ said Grant, ^^and I 
think I will be prepared to give them battle. Mc- 
Cain has received a telegram from McCarthy, his 
captain, stating that he has the men and arms 
and will land them at our wharf on the night of 
the 14th, which you say is the night of the strike. 
If nothing prevents McCarthy from getting here 
by that time we will pull the men over to the mines 
on the train in time to participate in the battle.” 

^^Where is our friend, Mr. McCain?” the Presi- 
dent asked of Miriam after dancing a waltz with 
her. have not seen him of late.” 

‘^He has gone away,” replied Miriam, ^^and is not 
expected to return.” 

am sorry, but I heard that he did not like the 
country much, nor the people, and that they did 
not like him much.” 

^^Oh, that was a mistake, your Excellency. He 
was admired by every one.” 

There was a trace of anger in Miriam’s reply. 
Surely the man was very impolite to make so broad 
an assertion. 

‘Tncluding yourself ? if I may be so bold.” 


116 Children of Destiny. 

yes. He and I were good friends.’^ 
^^Ferdinand/^ said Madame Laredo some time 
later when she was alone in the conservatory with 
McCain, wish yon would not be so attentive to 
Miss Hempstead. I do not like it and besides the 
people are all noticing it.” The hen-pecked hus- 
band promised, and smiled significantly at Hamil- 
ton, who came in with the Senorita Inez on his 
arm. Hamilton replied with a smile equally as 
significant and which asked him politely to repair 
to some other part of the building. The obliging 
President did as the smile suggested and took 
Madame Laredo along also. 

^^What a pity I am married and can’t do as I 
please,” he thought, ^This is a warning to me never 
to take unto myself a wife. How there is Hamil- 
ton enjoying himself as well as one might while if 
I look at a girl my wife spurs me.” 

In the conservatory Hamilton was alone with 
his fair one and he lost no time in becoming bet- 
ter acquainted. 

have been away on the frontier so long, 
senorita, that when I return I am surprised to find 
you changed into a beautiful lady — ^‘^the fairest in 
all this assembly.’ ” 

^^You fiatter me. General.” 

^^Ho, Senorita, I do not — ^because I love you.” 

love another. General.” 

"Who is it? That American dog?” 

"Mr. Hamilton is a gentleman, and in my pres- 
ence you must speak of him as such.” 

Then Hamilton, unable to keep the secret from 
her any longer, tore off his moustache and clasped 
her in his arms. 


Children of Destiny. 117 

don’t care what Grant will say/’ he said, 
just have to tell you how I love you,” and replac- 
ing the moustache Hamilton told her all about 
how he loved her and the affair, first making her 
promise to keep the secret. When they returned 
again to the ball room Madame Laredo remarked 
to McCain that it looked as if the general was in 
mind of marrying again. 

Mean while Grant was having an adventure him- 
self. Tom had spoken with him out in the shrub- 
bery and after Tom left Grant sat down upon a 
settee to smoke and think over his plans to thwart 
the Indians’ murderous designs. As the leader- 
ship had been left with him he thought that he 
alone would be to blame for any disaster that 
might occur. 

Grant was sitting near the street. He had not 
been there long before two men coming from oppo- 
site directions met near him and began to converse 
in a low tone. Grant made out the words ^^Ameri- 
cans” and ^^come to my house” and when they left 
he followed them up the street, for he had recog- 
nized one to be Eoderigo, one of the ring leaders of 
the revolution. 

They stopped in front of Roderigo’s house and 
talked a moment. Then they went in together, 
while Grant when he came up examined the house 
to see if he would be able to eavesdrop the pair 
without being seen. He saw the men go into the 
parlor, where a light was burning and seat them- 
selves. He noted that the front window of the 
room was up and a screen had been plarced near. 
Seeing this to be his only chance of getting fur- 
ther information regarding their plans, he slipped 


118 Children of Destiny. 

in at the window and sat down by the screen which 
had also shielded his entrance. 

In the light of the parlor lamp Grant made ont 
the man with Eoderigo to be his foreman on the 
plantation, who had charge of the entire business, 
while Eoderigo was staying in town. 

‘^Are you sure you understand now?’^ Eoderigo 
was saying. ^‘You are to go to the Bunyan Arms 
Company in Galveston, and see that the 300 rifles 
are promptly packed in the barrels marked salt 
and shipped by the steamer due here on the 
afternoon of the 14th. I have sent my order, but 
I am afraid they will delay shipment if I do not 
send some one to hurry them up. What noise was 
thatr 

Both men jumped to their feet and looked 
around. Grant had accidently dropped his re- 
volver on the floor, and knowing that it would not 
do to run because the Indians would change their 
plan of attack and catch him unexpectedly, he 
merely stood still debating in his mind what to do 
if they should come back there. 

Eoderigo sprang toward the screen and reached 
it in one bound. The overseer started forward 
also, but both men stopped when they observed that 
a revolver was pointed toward each of them. 

^^Well, gentlemen,” said Grant coming from be- 
hind the screen and again assuming his bantering 
tone, ‘T am ordinarily too much of a gentleman to 
play the part of a spy, but as you are well aware 
the times are troublesome and a man must resort 
to means of saving his life and the lives of his 
friends that in peaceful times he would not do for 
less reasons. I will ask you to kindly lay your re- 


Children of Destiny. 119 

volvers on the floor with the butt end pointed in 
my direction. Now/’ he continued as this was 
done, ^‘just step back a few paces.” 

The surprised men were forced to obey and 
Grant coming forward with his eyes still upon 
them, kneeled and placed his own revolvers by the 
side of the two belonging to his captives. Then 
he put the others’ weapons in his after pockets. 
Just as he turned aloose of these and was about to 
pick up his own Roderigo sprang forward. With 
a movement quick as lightning Grant picked up 
his pistols from the floor and covered the Indian 
before he could reach him. 

will ask you to go back to your former posi- 
tion,” he said. ^^Now I will ask you both to walk up 
this bye-street a short distance in front of me. I 
am not a desperate man except upon occasions, and 
this is one of those occasions. So I will tell you 
what it will be necessary to do in order to reach 
the President’s mansion alive.” 

^^You intend to take us before the President?” 
inquired Eoderigo glancing up quickly. 

‘^Yes.” 

^Then you afe indeed a desperate man. Our 
liberation will be effected the moment you take us 
before the President. He is a good friend of mine, 
and will believe my word in preference to yours.” 

^The President likes you well. So well in fact 
that he shall insist upon your remaining as his 
guest for a few days.” 

‘‘You have a warrant for our arrest?” 

“I have not, but the President will make that 
request. Now this is what I propose to do. If 
one of you run a step or whisper a word on the 


120 Children of Destiny. 

street I will blow you into pieces where you stand 
— ^that is all, move on.” 

Side by side Grant marched them np the bye- 
street, which was deserted, and would have been 
pitchy dark were it not for the moon. No one 
passed them and Grant made his captives go right 
upon the porch of the President’s mansion and 
ring the door bell. 

^‘Has his Excellency returned ?” Grant asked the 
servant. 

^^No, Senor, he is still at the ball.” 

^^Then show us into his ante-chamber, and 
when he comes tell him that Sehors Grant, Eoder- 
igo and Kialto wish to see him on important busi- 
ness.” 

The servant bowed and ushered them into the 
ante-chamber. Grant kept his weapons con- 
cealed while the servant was near, but after he had 
gone away he brought them out again, and the 
three sat and waited in silence. It was a long 
wait, but McCain and Madame Laredo accom- 
panied by Hamilton came at last, and after 
Madame Laredo had retired to her room McCain 
and Hamilton went in to see the callers. 

^^Your Excellency,” said Grant rising, ^^allow 
me to introduce our friends the Sehors Eoderigo 
and Eialto.” 

^^Sehors, I am pleased to receive you. I think, 
however, that we have met before,” and McCain 
detached his false moustache while Hamilton did 
the same. 

Eoderigo stared at them in blank surprise. 
This was the man they had offered the dictatorship 
of Maraquapez! 


Children of Destiny. 121 

^^You may as well let us go/’ said Koderigo, 
^'you have us foiled. The revolution is broken.” 

^^Not exactly,” said Grant. ^Tt will pay us 
Americans to bide our time and strike this revolu- 
tion a blow it will never recover from. If we 
let you off as it is, in a fortnight, you would steal 
down upon us as you intend to do and murder us 
in our sleep. You will sit down and write just 
what I dictate. 

^Teeling uneasy about that shipment of arms,” 
he dictated when Eoderigo took the seat by the 
writing desk, “I have decided to accompany 
Eialto to Galveston. We leave on the steamer 
to-night, and will see that the arms get to you all 
right.” 

‘^Now sign your nanie,” said Grant, "and ad- 
dress it to Paoquaz. That is all right. I will 
mail it for you, and I will stop on my way home 
and tell your housekeeper that you have taken a 
sudden notion to go to Galveston, and will be 
back soon. Now, Mac, we will take them to some 
strong room and lock them up until this little 
business is over. You and Hamilton will see to 
their personal comfort, and as it is getting late 
I will bid you good night.” 


122 


Children of Destiny. 


CHAPTEE XVII. 

On the evening of the 14th everything was 
qniet in San Samanca, and nothing implied that 
Maraquapez was on the eve of a great insurrec- 
tion. 

Nothing was thought of the question addressed 
by Paoquaz to the clerk in the freight department 
of the steamship line late that afternoon on the 
wharf, asking if scnne barrels of salt had been un- 
loaded for him. One or two people standing near 
did look up as the question was asked. They won- 
dered why Paoquaz was so interested in salt. 

Paoquaz interpreted the wonder in the looks and 
added to the clerk that his employees had no salt 
and were clamoring for it, and that if it had come 
he would send it on out. The clerk replied that 
the salt was there and he might get it at any time 
he chose. Paoquaz said his wagon would not get 
to town until seven or eight, but the moment it 
came he would send it around. 

^^Did any passengers come with the vessel named 
Roderigo or Rialto ?’’ he asked. 

^^No one was on board,’^ replied the clerk, ‘^but 
the officers and crew.” 

Paoquaz muttered an oath in an undertone. 
It was apparent to him that the two had run away 
to keep from fighting. 

^‘Why didn’t you buy some salt from the San 


Children of Destiny. 123 

Samanca merchants if yon were out, Senor?^’ 
asked Hamilton, who by design was one of those 
standing near. 

^^Well, I’ll tell you. General. The salt they 
handle here is not of the best grade.” 

About an hour later Hamilton, who still strolled 
about the wharf, saw the supposed salt loaded into 
the wagon, and heard Paoquaz tell the driver to 
take the Bayasco road. Hamilton was not sur- 
prised to recognize in the driver one of the most 
rebellious of the natives employed at the mines. 

He went direct from the wharf to the nearest 
telephone and called up Grant. 

‘‘Your shipment of meat has arrived, Sehor 
Grant,” he told him, “and will be sent to you over 
the Bayasco road.” 

“All right. General,” replied Grant. “Thank 
you for your trouble. Will you kindly see after 
some machinery and soap due at the mining com- 
pany’s wharf at nine ?” 

“Yes! Oh, it’s no trouble. Good-bye.” 

A few moments later a freight train drew up 
at the depot and switched off onto the track lead- 
ing to the mining company’s wharf up the coast. 
McCain had arrived, and he and Hamilton boarded 
the train. 

The yacht had arrived an hour before, and the 
two hundred workmen and the arms were wait- 
ing on the wharf when the train drew up. They 
were a jolly set of men with a joke for everything 
but Hamilton remarked to himself that they would 
not be so jocular if they knew the extent of the 
night’s work before them.” 

The arms and ammunition were loaded into the 


124 Children of Destiny, 

rear car, and the two hundred workmen were 
ordered to fall into the two ears in front, which 
they did without any discipline whatever. 

Hamilton signalled the engineer to go ahead, 
and a few moments afterward the freight was pull- 
ing through San Samanca at the rate traveled by 
the fast mail in the States. Soon after the lights 
of San Samanca only could be seen as they shot 
by the coffee and sugar plantations on their route. 

McCain and Hamilton had discarded their false 
hair and moustache before boarding the train. 
They now sat with the miners in the freight cars 
and talked together over the situation. They com- 
plimented Grant upon the success of his plans, and 
declared that with the three hundred rifles in the 
train, and the three hundred belonging to the 
Indians that Grant and Tom Hempstead had gone 
to capture, they could easily hold their fortifica- 
tions. at the mines that night. 

The freight dashed along at terrific speed as 
the engineer had been ordered until about half 
of the distance to the mines had been covered. 
Then it was brought suddenly to a standstill, and 
McCain glancing out the car door learned the 
reason why. Fully fifty Indians armed to the 
teeth had stopped the train, and were detaching 
the rear car where the arms and ammunition had 
been placed. 

Hamilton gave an exclamation of wrath, and 
thrust his revolver out the door to shoot at two 
or three of the revolters standing near. But Mc- 
Cain drew him back. 

^^Don’t do that,^^ he said, ^^you and I are the 
only ones here that are armed, and if you attract 


Children of Destiny.' 125 

their fire we will all be killed like rats in a trap. 
Let them have the guns. Grant and Tom Hemp- 
stead will capture their own.” 

Hamilton saw the force of this argument and put 
up his pistol. The Indians detached the rear car 
and signalled the engineer to go ahead. The en- 
gineer who was covered with guns threw open the 
throttle again and the train dashed into Velasco 
with the rear car half way back upon the track. 
McCain and Hamilton lost no time in arming the 
men and going back, but the Indians had unloaded 
the car and were gone, leaving the empty car upon 
the track. 

Very much chagrined at the loss the two young 
men had the car attached and carried back to 
Velasco where they waited for Grant and Tom 
Hempstead. 

A heavy wagon drawn by four horses and driven 
by an Indian teamster rolled heavily over the 
Bayasco road at the moment the train was held 
up by the fifty revolutionists. The horses were 
already tired and wet with sweat, while the 
sleepy driver nodded in his seat. Suddenly a 
voice in his ear made him wide awake: 

^‘Turn to your right at the next fork, Manuel, 
and drive to the mines.” 

Manuel started and looked around. He jumped 
in astonishment when he saw Grant and Tom 
Hempstead sitting behind on the barrels and toy- 
ing with their revolvers. 

‘^Senor Grant!” he exclaimed. 

^^DonT guess again,” said Grant. ^^You seem to 
be enjoying yourself very well dancing. I let 


126 Children of Destiny. 

you and the rest of the native workmen at the 
mines off to go to a dance. I see, however, that you 
have a better way of enjoying yourself. Just turn 
to the right there, will you.’^ 

^^The cause is lost!’^ cried Manuel. 

^^Not losV^ corrected Tom Hempstead. ^^You 
see there are two causes. One is the cause of 
fanatics thirsting for the blood of innocent peo- 
ple — women, children and all. The other is the 
cause of an honest, thrifty people who have set- 
tled in your country and attended strictly to their 
own business, and who can fight when it is neces- 
sary. The last named cause will win.^^ 

“The gods may strike me dumb if we ever in- 
tended to smite your women and children.^^ 

“The gods may inflict on me the same punish- 
ment if I ever intend to permit your people to 
torture a sister of mine. I will shoot them with 
my own hand before I let them be insulted and 
tortured by a merciless band of pagans.” 

“Well, Grant,” said McCain, as they drove up, 
“I don’t know how they managed to find out about 
our plan, but the enemy did, and have taken all 
the arms and ammunition from us.” 

“That will be all right,” Grant replied cheer- 
fully, “we will have enough with these captured 
guns to whip them. It was just an even trade, 
and no side beat.” 

The miners had gathered around the wagon 
anxious to know about the trouble, and the mys- 
terious way in which the young men had been 
acting aroused their curiosity and fear. Grant 
glanced over the force. They were not half the 
numbers of the Indians, and half or nearly half 


Children of Destiny.^ 127 

of them were negroes. But Grant knew that one 
American white man was worth three Indians, and 
a negro was as good as one of them, so he was not 
afraid of the disparity in numbers. 

‘‘Men,” he said, standing up where they could 
all see him, “I wish to explain to you just how mat- 
ters stand. We are threatened by a fierce outbreak 
of the Indians who have been incensed at the 
American incursion on their lands all along. I 
have known of this intended outbreak for some 
time and I could have warned you. But I am a 
great believer in the propriety of sticking to what 
you have once attached yourself to. I have not 
held you here to make you fight in defence of our 
possessions here. I could have spoken with the 
American consulate and obtained all the protec- 
tion necessary, but I have a better plan, and while 
I do not think any man of you will want to back 
away and concede to the Indians the ability to 
drive American citizens where they please, I can 
obtain for you a promise from the Indians allow- 
ing you to leave the country if you do not wish to 
fight.” 

“I have arms for every man of you, and all who 
wish to take them up in defence of these mines will 
step across this line.” 

Grant made a line on the ground, and every 
man walked over it. 

“Very well,” said Grant ; “by that I understand 
that you mean to fight.” 

“Yes !” they cried in chorus. 

“That is the true American spirit. We will all 
go over to the big machine shop, where the arms 


128 Children of Destiny. 

will be issued out to you, and your positions 
taken/^ 

After their arms had been given them, and the 
men all stationed in the three machine shops and 
the post-office, Grant returned to the house and 
found Hamilton all booted and spurred in antici- 
pation of the ‘^fun’^ that night. McCain was sit- 
ting at the desk writing poetry, and Collins, in 
an almost ineffectual attempt to appear as dis- 
interested as they, was apparently reading a news- 
paper upside down. Tom had gone to bring Mr. 
Hempstead and the girls over to the mines, where 
they would be safe during the outbreak. 

^^Come and go down with me to interview the 
prisoners, boys,” Grant commanded, and they fol- 
lowed him to the basement. 

^‘Well, Laredo,” said Grant, ‘^your schemes are 
all about frustrated, so we will give you your lib- 
erty in about a half hour.” 

‘^So, you think you have torn up my work. We 
shall see when you give me my freedom.” 

^‘All right. You will be at liberty in about 
half an hour by Mr. Collins^ watch. General 
Eioja, I have always esteemed you as a gentleman 
who has some conception of and always try to 
follow out the ideas of justice. We have learned 
something that will be of importance to you, in- 
asmuch as you are ready to fight for your coun- 
try at any time. We have learned that when the 
Indians have annihilated us, which disaster we 
intend to prevent, if possible, they intend to fall 
upon the white natives of Maraquapez and seize 
the capital city, thereafter declaring martial law 
and appointing Paoquaz Dictator.” 


Children of Destiny. 120 

a lie they are telling you to get you to help 
them, Kioja exclaimed Laredo. ‘‘The Indians 
are well pleased with the government as it is. 
They want — what all true patriots should want — 
the total extermination of these foreigners.’^ 

“Don’t forget, Laredo, that you have not mixed 
in the society of your fellow men much of late, 
and consequently are not much informed on cur- 
rent events,” said McCain. 

“Say, old fool, you keep quiet any way,” said 
Hamilton; “I haven’t squared up with you for 
that villainous way you treated me in the tem- 
ple, and it ain’t too late yet.” 

“Will you swear to this, Mr. Grant?” inquired 
Eioja. 

“I will with pleasure,” replied Grant, with all 
the faith in the world in Tom’s veracity. 

“Then I am with you.” 

“You swear, then, to aid us in this enterprise 
with the army?” 

“I do.” 

“Then you are at liberty again. How I want 
you and Hamilton to go to San Samanca as fast 
as the Ho. 9 will carry you. When you get there, 
go direct to the capitol and ring the bell, and 
when the people and the army have assembled, 
speak to them, telling them of this man’s base- 
ness and the intentions of the Indians. After 
this suggest that De Callabaro be made President, 
and if this is done, bring the army down here as 
fast as it can be done.” 

“I promise to carry out these instructions to 
the letter, Sehor Grant, upon my honor as a sol- 
dier and a gentleman.” 


130 Children of Destiny. 

^^Then go; and you go, too, Hamilton, to assist 
him. The No. 9 is waiting in the yards for you 
and will bring the soldiers back. DonT delay.’^ 

Hamilton and the General were soon flying 
through the country at full speed on the No. 9. 

^^There is some one signalling ahead to stop,” 
said the engineer once to Hamilton. ^^By the lan- 
tern and moon I make them out to be Indians. 
What must I do?” 

‘^Throw open your throttle and drop flat on 
your faces,” replied Hamilton. ^^They find that 
it pays them to interrupt our passage to and fro 
from San Samanca and Velasco.” 

The engineer gave his throttle a turn, and the 
four men lay flat on their faces while the No. 9 
dashed forward at a dangerous rate. As they 
passed the Indians there was a confusion of yells 
that were soon lost to hearing, and a fusillade of 
bullets struck the engine cab. 

‘^Check her up, man !” ordered Hamilton. 
^^The danger is past.” 

The engineer sprang to his post and dimin- 
ished the speed somewhat, but still the train rat- 
tled along the rails at a dangerous rate. Sud- 
denly Hamilton caught sight of lights glimmering 
in the near distance. 

^^San Samanca at last !” he cried. ^^Now, Gen- 
eral, our night’s work begins !” 


Children of Destiny. 


131 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

Before the hour the Indians were expected to 
begin their attack, the little party of Americans 
gathered in the office of the largest of the machine 
shops, as that was conceded to be the safest strong- 
hold. 

As the largest stockholders, McCain and Grant 
were allowed to see after the defence of the gar- 
rison, and as Grant was the better informed of 
the two on all pertaining to military tactics, 
McCain left him in full command and Joined the 
rest of the party in the machine shop. 

Tom and Mr. Hempstead were talking with 
the elder girls, trying to convince them that it 
would be almost impossible for the Indians to 
force them from the retreat they had just chosen. 
Miriam, who had been barred from the discussions 
of these elders from babyhood, sat in a corner 
of the room by herself and listened. As McCain 
had not appeared in her presence since he had 
thrown away his disguise and returned to the 
mines, he expected to give her a surprise when 
he entered. But Lillian and Mabel were also 
surprised, and were clamorous in their desire 
to know where he had been. 

^^Tom will explain,” McCain replied to their 
question, and went over and sat down my Miriam. 
She held out her hand to him. 


132 Children of Destiny. 

am glad to see you, Mr. McCain,” she said 
graciously. ^^When did you return?” 

^This evening,” he answered her. Since he 
had been in her presence he had grown a little 
paler than usual, and by the gas light his eyes 
looked stern and serious. 

^^You have returned at a very opportune mo- 
ment,” she said. 

^^So it seems,” he said, lowering his voice ; ^^and 
it is well that I did not trust you to send for me 
when you were in danger.” 

^‘Oh, I could not force myself to ask such a 
sacrifice of you.” 

^^You see now, then, that I intend to remain 
by your side until the trouble is over or I am 
dead. I intend to do all that uninvited.” 

^Thank you. I acknowledge that I feel much 
safer while you are near.” 

“Miriam ” McCain looked a moment appeal- 

ingly into her eyes and then gazed sadly out of the 
window. “God knows,” he continued, “I would 
make any sacrifice for your sake! After this 
trouble is over, I will go away never to return, 
and though I will sometimes pore over my mis- 
fortune, I will remember your kindness and be 
charitable to the world and good. This will all 
seem like a dream, and though the awakening was 
hard, I will always cherish in my memory your 
own sweet self and these halcyon days when 
you were even kind to me, for ^my life is a 
sweeter, sadder thing for having known you,’ and : 

letter to have loved and lost 
Than to have never loved at all* ” 


133 


Children of Destiny. 

Miriam contimied to look down and toy with her 
fan, and he, as he gazed into her dark brown eyes 
a moment, felt the impulsive, passionate yearn- 
ing. 

^^You deserve better than she said, looking 
up; ^^you are manly, brave and good, while I — 
am not deserving of any good man’s love. Let 
us change the subject — it can but be painful to 
us both as long as things are as they are.” 

^^Very well — but I wished to tell you that we 
have been deceiving you. I have not been any 
farther away than San Samanca.” 

^^Is that so? Why, Tom told me you had 
gone away on your yacht.” 

“That was a story we coined as an excuse. The 
yacht went away, but neither Hamilton nor I 
went with it.” 

“Where were you staying? No one ever men- 
tioned to me of having seen you in the city.” 

“And yet I was seen. Did you not see me on the 
day of the parade, when the President was offered 
the dictatorship of Maraquapez?” 

“I did not ; but believing you were gone away, I 
did not look for you.” 

“Did you see the President?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well, you saw me — I was the President.” 
Miriam looked at him with a puzzled expression, 
so he proceeded to explain. “The real President 
was a prisoner in the basement of our house yon- 
der,” he said, “and with the assistance of a false 
moustache, I took his place.” 

“Did you not know it was dangerous?” 

“Yes, but I did not care — did you?” 


I 


134 Children of Destiny. 

^^Certainly. I do not love to see my friends 
rush into danger. You say you love me — could 
you make me a promise to prove your devotion?” 

^^Anything.” 

^^Then promise me to not be reckless from now 
on. Did you live at the President’s mansion?” 

^^Yes; Hamilton, playing the part of General 
Eioja while the General was also our prisoner, 
was there also.” 

^^And Madame Laredo? Was she not there — 
did she not discover the truth?” The girl looked 
up quickly — a shade of wonder expressed by her 
innocent brown eyes. 

^^Madame Laredo,” said McCain, answering 
what he knew she would like to have answered, 
^^is a very good woman, and I esteem and admire 
her. She left the day after we came on a visit 
to her father in the country. But even then 
Hamilton and I were so afraid that she would 
find out the truth, we had her arrange us a room 
on the opposite side of the building from her 
own. Happily she was not at home long enough 
to find us out.” 

A low sigh of gladness was all that Miriam an- 
swered to this. ^‘^A sweeter, purer girl never 
breathed this God-forsaken country’s air,” thought* 
McCain. 

^^Tell me all about Mr. Grant’s plans as you 
have been carrying them out,” she said. 

McCain related all that had occurred, which 
had been kept a secret from the girls in order 
not to have them alarmed before it was necessary. 
When he mentioned that Hamilton and Eioja 
had gone to San Samanca to inform the people 


Children of Destiny. 135 

of the state of affairs and suggest that De Calla- 
baro be asked to accept the Presidency, she in- 
terrupted him. 

^^Do you think that Sehor De Callabaro will 
accept?’^ she asked. 

^‘Yes ; I think that since the country is badly 
in need of him, he will accept. And I know, fur- 
thermore, that the white people will stand by him, 
one and all.” 

^^Oh, Lillian, did you hear? Mr. McCain says 
that General Eioja and Mr. Hamilton will of- 
fer Senor De Callabaro the Presidency, and that 
he will accept.” 

^‘Tom has just told me,” replied the elder sis- 
ter. 

^^Why is that so important to Lillian ?” McCain 
asked. 

^^Haven^t you heard? Lillian and Senor De 
Callabaro are engaged.” 

had not heard a word about it. I might 
have guessed as much, though, when I noticed 
that the Sehor was a frequent visitor at your 
house.” 

^^Lillian was once disappointed in love. She 
loved a young New York lawyer, and he died. 
She will make the sehor a good kind wife, but I 
don^t think she loves him much.” 

^^She cannot, if she loved as I have loved,” said 
McCain, glad to get back to the old subject. ^Teo- 
ple may talk all this nonsense about loving 
two or three girls, but it won’t do. There are 
some men who are not given the power and 
force of heart to love. They talk about putting 
the old love by, but it can’t be done in real love.” 


136 Children of Destiny. 

Grant came in at this moment, and all eyes 
were turned on him as he stood erect, partly in the 
shadow of the door. 

McCain thought that he was very handsome — 
the broad-shouldered and broad-minded man — 
truly American. American in his ideas of the 
equality of men and justice to all alike; Ameri- 
can in his industry and thrift; American in his 
love for country; in his honor and respect for 
womankind. 

There was none of the haughty pride and inso- 
lence of the man of education and travel in the 
Old World in him. He was modern in everything 
— just as his country was the most modern of the 
globe. The Old World has never fully grasped 
what the quick intelligence of the philosophers 
of the New World grasped first — that men are 
brothers and therefore equal all the world over. 
That men are moulded of the same clay, and are 
all journeying toward the same goal — death. 

Grant stood erect. The muscles of his shoul- 
ders stood out like those of an athlete. His face 
wore a serious, thoughtful expression, and his 
steel gray eyes assumed the cool steady look of a 
man who does not fear, and who does not pick 
his men; but, like the true American, has the 
grit to fight any man that offends him. 

McCain^s gaze passed slowly from the face of 
his old friend to that of the girl beside him. Her 
eyes were on Grant, too, and in them were ex- 
pressed all her trust and love for him. 

^^Have you posted all your men. Grant?” asked 
Tom. 

“Yes — only one duty remains and that is the 


Children of Destiny. 137 

hoisting of our colors. As Miss Miriam is a very 
patriotic girl, I will allow her that honor. The 
pole and all are ready on the roof, and I will ask 
you all out to see the ceremony.’’ 

Grant led the way toward the flat roof, and all 
followed but Mabel. She, too, had hopes of love, 
but her younger sister’s conquests were more nu- 
merous than her own, and this last token of 
choice had informed her how her hopes would 
be wrecked. So she remained alone in the of- 
fice, and in that sad moment crushed the bud- 
ding flame and turned bravely on the world again. 
She was glad she had not confided in a soul, but 
she quoted to herself that: 

art's love is of his life a part, 

'Tis woman's whole existence." 

Upon the roof Miriam grasped the rough cord 
and quickly raised the bunting to the top of the 
pole, amidst the cheers of the party. 

The workmen in the shops heard their cheering 
and saw the flag flying, and immediately the build- 
ing shook with the sound of their huzzas. Then 
across the moonlit air came the words of ^Uolum- 
bia” and ^The Star Spangled Banner.” Sud- 
denly from the farthermost machine shop, where 
the negroes were stationed. Grant heard the song 
of ^^Dixie,” and he glanced at McCain. The 
young Southerner was listening intently. 

^^That’s our fighting song,” McCain said grim- 
ly. ^Tt thrills the Southerner more than any 
other — eve^i when our banner is the Stars and 
Stripes.^^ 


138 Children of Destiny. 

Scarcely had the party reached the threshold 
of the office again when the sound of rapid firing 
was heard. 

^^They have fired on the American fiag/’ said 
Grant smiling, ^^and they will learn how Ameri- 
cans can defend that fiag.’^ 


Children of Destinyj 


139 


CHAPTER XIX. 

A NEGRO in the lower machine shop had thrust 
his head out of the window to watch the Indians 
as they marched up to the base of the hill whereon 
Velasco was situated. A hundred Indians fired 
at him and he had dropped dead. That started the 
battle. 

The three machine shops commanded a view of 
all of the outhouses, and Grant, who knew the 
Central American Indian to be almost as danger- 
ous as the Sioux or Comanches, had posted sharp- 
shooters, whose especial duty was to see that none 
of the buildings were fired, and to kill every man 
of the enemy that attempted it. Early in the 
battle two Indians, formerly in Grant’s employ, 
tried to set fire to the office and residence. The 
result was that all were shot dead in their tracks. 
Soon after two or three more attempted to burn 
the office, and they met the same fate. 

Meanwhile the main body of Indians, on finding 
the Americans were better fortified than they sup- 
posed, made a rush for a ditch that ran paral- 
lel to most of the machine shops, and which 
proved an excellent trench for them. Protected 
by the walls of this ditch, the Indians fired at in- 
tervals at the windows of the machine shops, but 
except when a miner unwisely showed himself 
too much at the window, no one was hurt. 

The Indians had come there expecting but lit- 


140 Children of Destiny. 

lef resisatnce. They expected to soon conquer 
over the small numbers of the Americans, and then 
continue their devastations raid. 

When they learned on the contrary that the 
Americans were well prepared and were a good 
match, even with less numbers, the Indians be- 
came desperate a while, until they learned that 
they could not make anything by it. Then they 
lay in the ditch and proposed plans for the dis- 
lodgment of the Americans. Paoquaz and San 
Miguel ran back and forth, trying to urge them 
on, but no man among their number stirred. 

San Miguel thought of a plan. Just in front 
of the main body of his men, and about half 
of the distance to the large machine shop, there 
lay a large oaken beam. The double wooden door 
of the machine shop was on the nearest side of him, 
too. San Miguel thought that if he took about 
two or three hundred men and charged with the 
beam, using the latter as a battering ram, he 
might he able to break in the door. If he did not 
succeed the first time he could back and try again. 
Better to sacrifice men than to go away in defeat. 

So he called his men together, told them of his 
plan and called for volunteers. Fully four hun- 
dred cried “I.” 

^^Then follow me,^^ cried San Miguel. 

GranFs men fired into the mass as they came 
out of the ditch and strewed dead bodies all the 
way from the trench. But the Indians picked up 
the beam and ran the end of it against the shop. 
The whole building trembled at the force of the 
blow, and a hole the size of the beam was split in 
the door, but it did not fall. 


Children of Destiny. 141 

Grant, who had run down stairs when he saw 
their intention, looked at the door and mentally- 
decided that it would not hold out long. So he 
called to Collins standing at the head of the 
stairs and ordered him to command every person 
down stairs. 

The men started for the stairs at a rush, but 
their respect held them back until the ladies, lean- 
ing upon the arms of Mr. Hempstead, Tom and 
McCain, had passed. Then they followed in a 
mass with their rifles protruding from the crowd 
in all directions. Then a loud crash was heard 
as they reached the first floor, and the door fell 
down, amidst the yells of the partly triumphant 
Indians. 

Grant’s plan had been to hold the door when it 
fell, but it was mistaken by his men, who thought 
he intended to retreat to the woods. A door in 
the rear had been opened, and the miners surged 
out and ran for the forest as fast as they could 
go. It was in vain for Grant to call them to come 
back, so he followed in the rear, and collecting 
them again in the woods, poured a galling fire 
into the Indians in the ditch. 

McCain’s moment had come. When the door 
was opened and the miners made a rush for it, 
he grabbed Miriam up in his arms, pushed his way 
out of the opening, and ran with her to the woods. 
Fearing the Indians were following in the rear, 
he ran with her far up the mountain side into the 
densest part of the woods, and at last sat her 
down upon the ground while he stood a mo- 
ment to breathe. 


142 Children of Destiny. 

back and see after my sisters,” said Miriam ; 

am safe.” 

'^Not yet,” he replied, as he caught a glimpse of 
three Indians skirting the mountain side about 
a hundred yards to the left of them. ^^Get be- 
hind that rock. I see a part of the enemy.” 

Miriam did as commanded and together they 
watched the approach of the men. San Miguel 
was with them, and the three were looking all 
about as if in search of some one. 

^^Just what I thought,” McCain murmured to 
himself; ^^San Miguel employs this method of se- 
curing a pretty and intelligent wife^ — ^by the force 
of arms.” But he said nothing to arouse Miriam’s 
fears. 

^^They are in here somewhere,” the two behind 
the rock heard San Miguel say when the trio was 
not far away. “When we find them you are to 
shoot him and carry the senorita direct to my 
house. Do you understand?” 

“Yes, General.” 

A shudder passed through Miriam’s frame as 
these words were said, and McCain was uneasy 
lest she should in her fear betray their hiding 
place. 

“Be brave,” he whispered, “I will save you.” 

“Ah I” exclaimed one of San Miguel’s men, as 
his eyes caught sight of the two behind the rock; 
and he raised his gun to fire. 

But McCain fired first, and the Indian fell. 
There were only two left to contend with now. 
San Miguel saw the man and girl through the 
smoke and recognized them as only those he was 
in search of, so he came forward, firing at every 


Children of Destiny. 143 

step, as McCain thrust his head around the side of 
the rock to shoot. Seeing that he was exposed any- 
way, McCain stood up, and though he did not know 
it, Miriam stood up with him. The smoke had by 
this time become so dense that all three men 
stopped shooting until it should clear away. A 
gust of wind came and cleared it away so sud- 
denly that all three of the duelists raised their 
weapons to fire at the same moment. 

McCain fired point blank at San Miguel’s serv- 
ant and killed him, but at the same moment 
the ball from San Miguel’s gun passed through 
his body and he fell at Miriam’s feet. 

San Miguel, seeing his purpose successful, ran 
forward to seize the girl. But McCain’s thoughts 
had ever been of her, and he managed to raise 
himself to his elbow, even with his death-wound 
on him, and send the last bullet in his revolver 
through the heart of the Indian leader. So close 
had the shot been fired the powder burned San 
Miguel’s face. 

Miriam lifted McCain’s head gently to her knee, 
but the poet’s last day had come. In the moon- 
light he had slain the three Indians in her de- 
fence, but the Fates had willed that he should 
not live to be thanked by any one but her. 

^^Garland — ^good friend — dear brother !” Miriam 
cried in her sorrow at this fatal termination of 
the day’s battle. ^^Tell me that you will not die !” 

But McCain shook his head sadly. 

‘Tt is better as it is,” he said; ^dife without 
you would be but a sad existence. Always remem- 
ber me as one who was not bad at heart. I — ^I 
knew the gcfod from the bad, and God will forgive 


!44 Children of Destiny. 

my sins as he has blessed yon, my little angel. I 
was an nnfortnnate fellow all through life. But 
remember me because — God help me — I love 
you 

And with these words the life of the poet went 
out, as his head rested on the knee of the girl 
he had learned to love above the world and all its 
pleasures. Miriam had dropped a tear on his fore- 
head as he lay dying, and he had smiled his thanks. 

The noise of the battle raging beneath had not 
been heard, as she laid the poet's body down and 
gazed sadly at his features, composed as if in 
sleep. 

^Toor Garland!" said a tremulous voice at her 
elbow. ^^Dear old friend, good-bye. You were a 
true-hearted fellow, even if wild and reckless, 
and no Southern sun will ever shine upon another 
more true and brave of Dixie's sons. Good-bye, 
old friend, good-bye," and Grant, strong man and 
brave, kneeled down by Miriam's side and took a 
last lingering look at the features of his once 
good friend. 

^^Come, Miriam," he said rising, ‘T became un- 
easy and have been looking for you." 

As the girl rose and stood before him, with 
the kind, sympathetic look of the woman. Grant 
could not hold back what had long been in his 
heart. 

^^Miriam!" he said, taking a step forward; 
Miriam 1" 

And over the body of the ^^Child of Destiny" 
their lips met in the first betrothal kiss, and their 
tears of joy were mingled as the poet would have 
B^rished. 


Children of Destiny. 145 

^'Listen, sweetheart/^ Grant said, raising his 
head; “it is the guns of the soldiers and the bat- 
tle is won. It has been a horrible night, but the 
future will be clear and peaceful, and we shall 
be happy.^^ 


146 


Children of Destiny. 


CHAPTBE XX. 

Hamilton and General Eioja sprang from the 
train before it was fairly at a standstill in San 
Samanca, and ran np the main street of the town 
toward the capitol. 

A crowd of men who had gathered on the Plaza 
and the streets that night, wondered, as they saw 
them running up the street, and followed behind, 
to discover if possible the cause of the excitement. 
Soon a great mob was at their heels, all clamorous 
to know the trouble. 

Arriving at the capitol, Hamilton ran on in- 
side and passed up the several flights of stairs 
to where the bell hung in the belfry, while Kioja 
halted on the steps and motioned for the crowds 
to stay back on the grounds and wait a while for 
an explanation of his conduct. Then for a few 
moments the old General stood like a statue 
carved of stone — silent and immovable. • 

Suddenly the great bell began to peal forth, 
and Hamilton, while he pulled at the heavy rope, 
looked down upon the city lying all around him. 
He could see the lights of the steamer and smaller 
craft in the harbor, and far up the coast the 
lights gleaming from the ^^Mayflower.^^ In the 
moonlight he could make out the hulls of the 
vessels in the harbor and over the housetops he 
saw the fields of the planters and their haciendas. 


Children of Destiny. 147 

In the distance a dark line denoted the forest, 
and still farther on he saw the large mass of dark 
that denoted the mountain range. At that place 
were his friends, and to that place he must hurry. 

Meanwhile from the numerous houses poured 
the white inhabitants of San Samanca. They 
ran to where the crowd had gathered, and with 
dark, anxious faces inquired the cause of the ex- 
citement. 

‘Triends and countrymen,” said Kioja, after 
a large crowd had collected, “while you have 
been sleeping, Maraquapez has been on the eve of a 
revolution. While you have been laughing and 
talking over your business and pleasure, your 
President has proved himself a traitor. A mob 
has been collecting to kill you and your women and 
children. This mob, aided by Laredo, your 
President, would take from the better citizens 
the supremacy and power, and establish a govern- 
ment of paganism and crime and monarchy. 

“None of you have known that through all 
these years the Indians have secretly worshipped 
their false gods, and only attended the worship in 
yonder cathedral as a blind. This, an insult and 
a scorn to the Eoman Catholic Church, is in it- 
self deserving of your Just anger. But that is 
not all. 

“Your President has appeared to you a Just 
and intelligent man, and a good Christian execu- 
tive. My friends, we have been badly deceived 
all along. In Maraquapez there is no man liv- 
ing more ambitious and lawless, more unjust to 
his own race, or more shrewd for the good of him- 
self ratheii’ than his people. He has proven him- 


148 Children of Destiny. 

self a hypocrite and a scheming villain and has 
banded with the Indians against yon. 

^^To-night Laredo was a prisoner to the Ameri- 
cans at the mines, but by now he has been freed 
and has gone to join the Indians. To-night the 
Indians, a thousand strong, will attack the Ameri- 
cans at the mines, and if they are successful there 
they will march to San Samanca, appoint either 
Paoquaz or Laredo dictator, and run the govern- 
ment thereafter to suit themselves. 

^^There is one man standing upon the steps near 
me now upon whom you can depend to guide you 
through this crisis, and be faithful to you ever. 
Let all cry, ^Long live De Callabaro, President 
of Maraquapez !’ ” 

For a moment the people stood silent as if try- 
ing to grasp the situation. But the cry was 
started b^y some one and instantly it was taken 
up and repeated all through the mass of people 
until every man was crying it in his loudest tone. 
De Callabaro had long been the idol of the people, 
and deputations had often been sent to him, re- 
questing that he accept the office of President, 
as made and promised by the white inhabitants. 
But the wise old statesman saw trouble with the 
Indians, who seemed to like Laredo better, be- 
cause he was not so favorable to foreigners, and 
a long and bloody war, so he refused. 

De Callabaro, who had gathered with the rest 
of the officials on the steps with Hamilton and 
Eioja, now came forward, hat in hand, and bowed 
to the people. 

^^Countrymen, I thank you,^^ he said slowly but 
distinctly, ^^and while there is none more devoted 


Children of Destiny. 149 

to his country than I, you have made a had choice, 
in that I am not fitted for this position, nor 
worthy of this honor/’ 

At this point in his speech De Callabaro was 
interrupted by cries of “You must accept,” and 
other remonstrances against his refusing. When 
the noise subsided, he spoke on: 

“But I realize as well as you do that it is a 
critical moment in the history of Maraquapez; 
and with a wish to serve my country more than 
I have hitherto done, I will accept and try to 
guide the State through this peril. 

“But this is not the time to bandy words,” he 
said when the cheering had died away again; “I 
continue the state officials in office just as they are. 
I command the Commander-in-Chief of the 
army. General Eioja, and the now second in com- 
mand by my appointment. Brigadier General 
Hamilton, to march with the entire force of the 
standing army to Velasco and engage the In- 
dians in battle there. I will call on the citizens 
for five hundred volunteers, and will appoint 
Alphonso Barcelona to marshal and command 
this force, arm them with guns from the arsenal 
and station them as guards of the capital 
city. All who wish to volunteer will please 
pass up the steps, one by one, and assemble in 
the Senate chamber.” 

At the order from the new President Generals 
Eioja and Hamilton rushed from the building 
and ran to the troops who had been marched from 
the arsenal and drawn up in the capitol grounds 
at the first warning sounds of the bell. They 
ran to th4 head of the long column and drawing 


150 Children of Destiny. 

his sword, Eioja cried: ^^Forward! double quick 

The mass of uniformed men moved down the 
street at a half trot. Eioja led the way to the 
depot where the train that had brought Hamilton 
and himself from the mines was standing wait- 
ing, to carry them back. At a signal the soldiers 
clambered into the box car that had been coupled 
on, and Hamilton, followed by Eioja, sprang into 
the engine cab and cried, ^^Turn her loose 

The engineer, who from long service was not 
afraid of the liability of danger on the road, did 
as requested, and the Ho. 9 again sped over the 
long straight track at its former dangerous rate 
of speed. 

When they had traversed over half the way 
back the engineer announced that he saw the lan- 
tern of the Indians that had tried to stop them 
when they were on their way to the city. 

^^Slow up — and stop when you get nearly 
there,^^ Hamilton ordered ; “they have torn up the 
rails.” 

When the train came to a standstill Eioja or- 
dered his men to come out of the car and fall 
into line of battle. This was not necessary, how- 
ever, for when the Indians saw the soliders they 
fled into the Jungles without firing a shot. 

Examination proved that the Indians had at- 
tempted to wreck the train, as Hamilton had sur- 
mised. Hot over a distance of forty yards from 
where the train had been stopped the rails had 
been taken up, and if the train had gone on 
through as Hamilton first decided to do, they 
would have been wrecked. The two generals now 
were obliged to continue their Journey on foot. 


Children of Destiny. 151 

^^^Listen!’^ said Hamilton, as he marched with 
Eioja at the head of the long line of soldiers. 
“I hear the crack of Winchesters. The fight is 
on. Forward, men. Double quick 

The command was repeated by the under of- 
ficers all down the line, and soon the soldiers were 
going at a half trot down the narrow road. 
Nearer and nearer they approached until the 
mines were not a mile away and the roar of the 
rifles sounded clear and loud in the midnight 
air. 

Suddenly they burst into the opening and a 
bloody sight was presented to their view. There 
was no need of the clear moonlight to aid their 
vision, for the large machine shop had been fired 
and the blaze lunging toward the high heavens 
lighted up the whole scene, and even threw rays 
of light into spots in the forest where the miners 
had fled from the big machine shop, and where 
rifle shots rang out from behind the trees and 
boulders. 

Scattered in the opening, behind the cabins 
and in the ditches lay the bodies of dead Indians 
that had been picked off by the unerring aim of 
the sharpshooters and the rest of the workmen. 

The two smallest machine shops and the post- 
office had held out against the enemy. Paoquaz, 
who was the only leader on the field, had tried 
the battering ram against these doors, but as all 
three were plated with solid iron, and were heav- 
ily barred, he was forced to give up the attempt 
after a severe loss. 

A body qf the Indians had gone into the woods 
in search of the fugitives that had sought refuge 


152 Children of Destiny. 

in that place. As they were greatly at a disad- 
vantage, most of these had returned and joined 
the main body in the ditch, who were shooting 
at any American that for a moment exposed him- 
self. 

When the roll of the drum was heard and the 
soldiers were seen coming to the rescue of the 
besieged, the Indians scattered and ran to the 
woods. But a great many fell by the guns of 
the soldiers, and among them was Laredo, the 
former President of San Samanca. After he was 
freed he knew that he had lost at San Samanca, 
and so he had joined with the Indians expecting to 
be made dictator when they had captured the capi- 
tal city. His wounds were mortal, and the origi- 
nator of all the trouble did not live but a few 
moments after he was hit. 

'‘You have won over the enemies of Mara- 
quapez, Sehor Grant,” said General Eioja, as 
Grant approached with Miriam, after the battle, 
hand in hand, "and in the name of his Excel- 
lency, De Callabaro, President of the Republic, 
I thank you and your brave followers.” 


THE END. 


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